AAIB investigation to EV-97 Teameurostar UK (Eurostar), G-GARB
Left wing failed in flight, near Builth Wells, Powys, 18 September 2016.
Summary:
The aircraft was seen cruising at an altitude of around 2,500 ft. At a later point it was seen to pitch nose-up and enter a steep spinning-type descent before striking the ground, resulting in fatal injuries to the pilot and passenger.
The left wing had appeared to fold rearwards in the descent and this was attributed by the investigation to a structural failure near the root of this wing, caused by upward bending of the wing beyond its design limits. No pre-existing material defect, or significant design issue, was found in the wing structure. The failure is most likely to have occurred as a result of an attempted recovery from an inadvertent manoeuvre inducing a structural overload, although the cause of the manoeuvre could not be identified.
One Safety Recommendation is made, relating to the EV-97 Eurostar pitch trim mechanism.
Download report:
Download glossary of abbreviations:
Download Safety Recommendation document: