ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 17711
Last updated: 20 May 2013
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| Date: | 01-JUN-2007 |
| Time: | 14:45 |
| Type: | Europa |
| Operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-HOFC |
| C/n / msn: | PFA 247-1273 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Near Magor, Gwent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bodmin Airfield |
| Uckfield Farm strip |
The pilot and a friend were returning from Bodmin Airfield in Cornwall to Uckfield Farm strip near Newport, Gwent. The aircraft was seen by witnesses flying at approximately 500 ft in a wings-level attitude, possibly in a gentle descent. The engine sounded normal, running at a medium to high speed. Witnesses on the ground saw the tail move up and down rapidly, and debris was seen to fall from the aircraft before the wings and horizontal tailplanes detached. The fuselage came down in a grass field, fatally injuring both occupants. The investigation has found that a structural failure of the right wing trailing edge retaining pin mechanism had initiated the in-flight break-up of the aircraft.
As a result of the AAIB initial findings, the Light Aircraft Association released two Airworthiness Bulletins requiring immediate and repetitive inspections:
- PFA 247/FSB006 ‘Europa Classic and Europa XS Tailplane Flutter Avoidance and Integrity Of Tailplane Attachment’
- PFA 247/FSB007 ‘Europa Classic Integrity of Wing Attachment’.
The content of these Airworthiness Bulletins was made mandatory in the UK by the issue of Mandatory Permit Directives. The final accident report concludes that these modifications and the mandated inspections of aircraft already completed, adequately address the construction issue. This accident only affects older Europa Classic aircraft, all of which should have now been modified and not the XS model which has a different structure.
Sources:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Europa,%20G-HOFC%2005-08.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_XS#Accidents
http://sdunsmuir.net/EuropaOwners/public_html/Galley3/FlyingEuropas/album140/DSCF0258
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1062557/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-May-2008 01:31 | harro | Added |
| 22-Dec-2012 16:04 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
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