Independent report

AAIB Record-only investigations reviewed: July - August 2024

Published 10 October 2024

This section provides details of accidents and incidents which were not subject to a Field or full Correspondence Investigation. They are wholly, or largely, based on information provided by the aircraft commander at the time of reporting and in some cases additional information from other sources. The accuracy of the information provided cannot be assured.

Event date	Aircraft Type	Registration	Location Name	Record Only Occurrence Text
3 Mar 2024	Cessna 150M	G-BSYV	Sandtoft Airfield, North Lincolnshire	On a student’s first solo flight, the aircraft landed to the left of the runway centre line and then veered off onto the grass. The aircraft came to rest inverted and the nose wheel, propeller and vertical fin were damaged. The student suffered minor injuries but was able to evacuate unassisted.
29 Apr 2024	Piper PA-28RT-201T	G-BYKP	Thruxton Aerodrome, Hampshire	The aircraft’s nose landing gear collapsed during a normal touchdown, causing damage to the lower cowling, landing gear doors, propeller and shock-loading the engine. The cause of the nose landing gear collapse was not conclusively determined.
24 May 2024	EV-97 TeamEurostar UK	G-CDJR	Sandown Airport, Isle of Wight	After an uneventful touchdown and rollout on grass Runway 23, the right landing gear leg collapsed during taxiing.
27 May 2024	Pioneer 200-M	G-CGLI	Wottons Farm, near Hempston, Devon	Control was lost after touching down during the third attempt to land. The pilot stated that he had become fixated on landing in the same direction as the takeoff, and should have considered alternative options after the second aborted landing.
20 Jun 2024	Robinson R22 Beta	G-JKAT	Gloucestershire Airport	The student was undertaking initial hover training on a designated helicopter site on the airfield. The student’s control inputs were causing the helicopter to drift to the right and backwards during each attempt. The instructor stated that he adjusted the helicopter’s position each time he took control but did not realise that the helicopter had moved closer to a building housing the airfield’s NDB equipment. On the final hover attempt, the student’s input caused the helicopter to move rapidly backwards. Before the instructor could intervene, the main rotor struck a DME antenna on the building causing the helicopter to roll over. The occupants were uninjured and able to exit unaided.
22 Jun 2024	Piper PA 34 200	F-BXLZ	11 miles north-west Turks & Caicos	The aircraft had suffered a fuel leak on a previous flight, which the pilot stated had been corrected by a maintenance organisation. A fuel gauge was also changed, because of erratic readings, before the aircraft undertook this flight from Florida to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Both engines stopped approximately 11 miles north of the Islands, most likely due to fuel exhaustion. The two occupants were rescued by the United States Coastguard, one of whom suffered minor injuries.
22 Jun 2024	Skyranger Swift 912S(1)	G-CMFE	Newnham Airstrip, Hertfordshire	The pilot advised that, during the approach to land on a grass strip with a 10 kt headwind, the aircraft became too low and too slow. Power was applied too late to prevent the aircraft’s impact with a hangar located in the area before the runway threshold.
25 Jun 2024	Rans S6-ESD XL (Modified)	G-MZJI	Sherburn-in-Elmet Airfield, North Yorkshire	When flying downwind, doing practice circuits, the pilot went to change fuel tank, but found that the fuel tank selector lever was missing. The pilot continued the circuit, but, distracted by the missing selector lever, allowed the aircraft to slow and stall prior to touchdown. This resulted in the aircraft landing on its nose wheel causing the nose landing gear to buckle. The missing fuel tank selection lever was not found in the aircraft, and the cause of it detaching could not be determined.
29 Jun 2024	Piper PA28-181	N65JF	Beccles Airfield, Suffolk	On final approach to Runway 09 at Beccles airfield, the pilot became distracted and on short finals noticed the airspeed was approximately 20 kt fast. The pilot decided to continue the approach and the aircraft landed faster and deeper down the runway than intended. The pilot could not stop the aircraft before reaching the runway end and the aircraft continued into a hedgerow before coming to a complete stop. There were no significant injuries sustained by the four occupants but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The pilot commented that he had taken away a number of learning points from the event, including to avoid distraction during a critical phase of flight and that executing a go-around in this case may have resulted in a safer outcome.
29 Jun 2024	Cessna F177RG	G-AYPG	Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, Warwickshire	After completing two touch-and-go landings at Wellesbourne, the pilot forgot to lower the landing gear for the third landing. The aircraft slid along the runway for approximately 50 m damaging the underside of the aircraft and the propeller.
1 Jul 2024	Zenair CH 750	G-TMRL	North Coates Airfield, Lincolnshire	As the aircraft was slowing down after landing control was lost when the aircraft was caught by a crosswind gust. The aircraft departed the grass strip and ran into a water ditch.
1 Jul 2024	Rans S6-116	G-BWYR	Swanborough Farm Airstrip, East Sussex	The aircraft touched down, bounced, became airborne and drifted to the left side of the runway. After touching down again the aircraft drifted further to the left coming to rest in a ditch.
3 Jul 2024	Rans S6-ES	G-CBTO	Woottons Farm, near Totnes, Devon	Following a go-around from a first attempt to land on a short grass strip in a headwind that the pilot described as “stronger than expected”, the second approach, albeit “bumpy”, progressed as normal until the aircraft was very close to the ground. At that point, the rate of descent increased and the aircraft landed heavily at the planned touchdown point, bending the nose leg and breaking the propeller.
6 Jul 2024	Pioneer 300 Hawk	G-CGHK	Sherlowe Airfield, Shropshire	During takeoff the aircraft experienced a significant crosswind gust which caused the pilot to lose directional control and the aircraft suffered a runway excursion. The aircraft came to rest at a hedge line on the airfield’s perimeter.
11 Jul 2024	Thruster T600N 450	G-CGFZ	Near Portaferry, County Down	Whilst conducting a low-level training flight the pilot heard a “sudden bang” from the engine, followed by heavy vibrations, after which the engine came to a complete stop. At 600 ft agl the pilot selected a suitable field and made a MAYDAY call. As the aircraft touched down the nose wheel dug in and the aircraft tipped over. Both pilots were able to exit the aircraft unaided with no injuries.
19 Jul 2024	Pitts S-2A Special	N80035	Near Croxton, Cambridgeshire	Just prior to performing a loop the engine oil pressure dropped slightly before recovering; this was captured by a cockpit camera. During a second loop, the pressure dropped from 60 to 25 psi and the engine lost power. The oil pressure continued to fall gradually until the engine stopped. The pilot landed the aircraft in a field of crops and the aircraft inverted. The pilot released himself from the cockpit and was uninjured.
26 Jul 2024	EC120 B	G-EIZO	Crewe, Cheshire	Whilst hovering away from the 40 cm high helipad, the right rear skid contacted the lip of the pad and, as the pilot applied more power, the helicopter rolled over onto the ground.
26 Jul 2024	Mooney M20J	G-FLYA	Full Sutton Airfield, Yorkshire	During a go-around, the aircraft clipped some crops to the side of the runway. The aircraft then landed with damage to the landing gear and wing.
17 Aug 2024	Fournier RF3	G-BNHT	Top Farm Airfield, Cambridgeshire	The pilot misjudged the flare and the aircraft landed to the right of the touchdown zone. The leading edge of the wing clipped a traffic cone that was marking earth works, causing cracking to the wing’s D box. A go-around was initiated and the aircraft landed safely on the next attempt.
21 Aug 2024	SIPA S91	G-BDAO	Hunters Airstrip, near Wells, Somerset	The aircraft experienced a sudden drop in airspeed caused by the wind blanking effect of trees alongside the runway and landed heavily. The pilot commented that landing deeper into the strip where there were fewer trees and a consistent headwind may have had a better outcome. CAA safety sense leaflet SS12 offers advice for strip flying.
30 Aug 2024	Piper PA-28-181	G-TSGJ	Fishburn Airfield, County Durham	The aircraft was being manoeuvred to the fuel pumps for refuelling. The instructor had left the aircraft to prepare the fuel pump. The pilot under instruction then opened the throttle to move the aircraft towards the fuel pumps but it accelerated and struck an outbuilding, destroying the building and damaging the aircraft.