ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 174981
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| Date: | Saturday 7 June 1997 |
| Time: | 10:01 |
| Type: |  Gardan GY-80-150 Horizon |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | G-ATXF |
| MSN: | 40 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Alderney Lighthouse, Channel Islands -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Popham, Hampshire (EGHP) |
| Alderney Airport (ACI/EGJA) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (destroyed) 7 June 1997 when ran out of fuel and ditched into the English Channel, near the Alderney Lighthouse, Alderney, Channel Islands. Aircraft had diverted to Alderney due to fuel consumption being higher than planned because of headwinds. According to the following extracts from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The pilot intended to fly to Montelimar in France to attend a fly-in for Gardan Horizon aircraft. His original plan had been to depart Popham, Hampshire (EGHP) at 18:00 hours the previous evening, but strong winds of 20 knots minimum were forecast and he decided to delay the flight until the following morning.
The aircraft finally left Popham at 08:37 hours on June 7. At 09:47 hours, the pilot called ATC to request a diversion to Alderney, as he required to refuel due to the head winds. Permission was granted for the diversion and he was cleared under Special VFR (SVFR) maintaining 2,000 feet direct to Alderney on his own navigation.
The controller suggested a heading of 230 degrees. At 09:49 hours control was passed to Alderney at which time the aircraft was 13 nautical miles from the airfield. At 10:00 hours Alderney cleared the aircraft to report on final approach for Runway 26, the surface wind being 180 degrees/18 knots.
Less than a minute later the pilot made a MAYDAY call to the effect that his engine had failed, he was running out of fuel and was then one mile to the north of the island. After being cleared to land on any runway he then advised that he would have to ditch the aircraft.
During the glide to the surface, the pilot saw a fishing boat towards which he turned the aircraft and ditched within 200 yards of it along the swell. It took at least a minute for the water level inside the aircraft to equalise with that outside and so allow the pilot to open the door. During this time he was able to unfasten his harness and generally prepare himself.
Once he had opened the door he stood on the wing and attempted to retrieve his flight bag, however, the aircraft then pitched steeply nose-down and sank. The pilot then inflated his life jacket and swam clear; he was rescued by the crew of the fishing boat less than eight minutes later".
The AAIB report confirms that the aircraft "sank and was not recovered". As a result the registration G-ATXF was cancelled by the CAA on 29 July 1997 as "destroyed"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/gardan-gy80-150-g-atxf-7-june-1997
2. CAA: http://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-registration/
3. http://avionsgardan.org/all-the-gardan-gy80/the-status-of-all-the-gardan-gy80/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 31-Mar-2015 13:58 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 31-Mar-2015 14:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 24-Feb-2018 21:46 | TB | Updated [Operator, Location, Source] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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