AAIB investigation to Dyn'Aéro MCR-01 UL, OO-D51
Broken canopy and forced landing, Winsford, Cheshire, 14 March 2018.
Summary:
The pilot had taken off from Calais, France with the destination of Lymm Dam airfield, which is located 7 nm west of Manchester Airport. At approximately 1219 hrs, the pilot contacted Manchester Radar and reported that he was at Stoke-on-Trent and descending to enter the low-level route between the Manchester and Liverpool CTRs. As the aircraft approached the town of Winsford at an altitude of about 1,000 ft, a large section of the canopy detached, following which the pilot decided to make a forced landing in a nearby grass field. The nose gear collapsed during the landing, and the right wing, propeller and engine support were damaged. The pilot was uninjured.
The pilot was uncertain as to why the section of canopy broke away, but he stated that it may have been due to a collision with a drone.
No evidence of a drone or the missing section of canopy has been located and no injuries to persons or damage to property have been reported on the ground.
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