AAIB Report: G-BLOS, after takeoff the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into woodland, Romsey, Hampshire
Shortly after takeoff the aircraft, a Cessna 185A Skywagon (G-BLOS), lost altitude and crashed into dense woodland, Pauncefoot Airstrip, Romsey, Hampshire, 7th October 2020.
Accident site showing the top of the fuselage and dense undergrowth
Soon after takeoff, the aircraft, a Cessna 185A Skywagon (G-BLOS), began descending with an increasing ground speed towards a small wooded area. The aircraft struck the trees, becoming increasingly disrupted as it descended through them. The fuselage came to rest upright amongst thick bushes around 1,000 m from the start of its takeoff run. The wings were found approximately 30 m behind the location of the main wreckage.
Witnesses on a nearby road had seen the aircraft descending towards the trees and had alerted the emergency services. The aircraft was located with some difficulty and when the emergency services reached it, the pilot was found lying partially outside the fuselage on the ground at the right hand side. He had suffered serious injuries in the accident.
The aircraft was severely damaged, but extensive examination did not reveal any faults which could have caused or contributed to the accident. It seems likely that the pilot became incapacitated after takeoff and that the aircraft began a descent due either to being slightly out of trim for the climb, or because of an involuntary movement by the pilot on the control column. The pilot could not recall any events of the accident. It was not possible to establish the exact cause of the likely incapacitation.