Ikarus C42 FB UK, G-ILRS, 5 October 2013
Ikarus C42 FB UK, G-ILRS
Summary:
G-ILRS was fitted with a wing-fold mechanism that allowed the wings to be folded back and stowed parallel to the fuselage.
On the day of the accident the pilot reported that he removed the aircraft from its trailer and unfolded the wings with the assistance of another pilot. The pre-flight and start-up checks were uneventful but, approximately 50 feet into the takeoff run, the right wing started to rotate upwards about the fuselage. The pilot immediately abandoned the takeoff.
The cause of the wing rotating upwards was the incorrect fitting of the wing strut lower attachment bolt, which had only passed through the fuselage mounting bracket and not through the strut.
The pilot had owned the aircraft for six months during which he had unfolded the wings on approximately six occasions. He said that he rigged the aircraft in accordance with the C42 Owners Manual. His normal procedure was to ask an assistant to hold the wingtip while he bolted the lower end of the wing strut to the fuselage. He would then check that the wing was correctly attached by lifting the wingtip. On this occasion he believed that the pilot assisting him had carried out this last check and, therefore, did not feel that it was necessary for him to repeat the check.
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