ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 181529
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| Date: | Wednesday 10 July 1985 |
| Time: | 08:30 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-25-235D Pawnee C |
| Owner/operator: | Yorkshire Gliding Club (Propreitary) Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BENL |
| MSN: | 25-7656038 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Sutton Bank Airfield, Thirsk, North Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Sutton Bank Airfield, Thirsk, North Yorkshire |
| Sutton Bank Airfield, Thirsk, North Yorkshire | |
| Investigating agency: | AIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
This Pawnee was built by The Piper Aircraft Corporation and first registered in 1976 as N54892 in the USA. It was first registered in the UK on 1/3/1977 to Miller Aviation Spraying at Boston Lincolnshire. It was sold on to Farm Aviation Services Ltd at Enstone Airfield in Oxfordshire on 19/5/1977. It was later registered to Yorkshire Gliding Club (Proprietary) Ltd, at Sutton Bank from 7/1/1983.
On the 10/7/85 this aircraft was being used as a tug aircraft to launch gliders from Sutton Bank. It was refuelled prior to being attached to the tow rope of the first glider to be towed on this date. As the glider was not ready to be launched the pilot of the Pawnee shut down the engine until it was ready. At around 08:30 hours with the glider then ready for launch the Pawnee pilot re-started the engine and begun the take off run.
Both tug and glider became airborne but while at just 25 feet above the ground the engine of the Pawnee failed and the aircraft sank back to the grass strip. Realizing a problem the glider pilot cast off, with the distance left and at the speed the Pawnee was travelling it could not be stopped before it ran off the edge of the gliding site and over the cliffs, it crashed into trees below the airfield and was badly damaged. The pilot was only slightly injured and was back in the air in another aircraft later that day.
The fire brigade and Forestry Commission were soon on the scene and took care of a fuel spill. The glider managed to use the bit of height it had gained and landed safely next to the Helmsley to Thirsk road, the passenger of which was on a gliding holiday with his father. It was thought that the aircraft's reinforced cockpit had saved the pilot's life and that using "MOGAS" (fuel designed for use in cars) instead of Aviation-specific AVGAS had affected the performance of the engine.
Tug Pilot - Mr Alistair Cook, aged 24, of Oxfordshire. Sustained shock and cuts to his leg.
Glider Pilot - Mr Nick Wood. He was the Yorkshire Gliding Club's assistant gliding instructor.
Glider Passenger - Mr James Robinson, aged 18, of Moffat, Scotland
Damage to airframe: Per the AAIB report "aircraft destroyed". As a result, the registration G-BENL was eventually cancelled as PWFU on 7/12/90 and it was later used for spares at Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB; https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422ec9b40f0b61346000119/Piper_PA_25_Pawnee_G-BENL_10-85.pdf
2. CAA: http://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-registration/
3. https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/04/1430312262_TNS%2011.12.85.pdf
4. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/81-2000/benl.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Nov-2015 19:03 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 20-Nov-2015 19:03 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Nov-2015 19:07 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Nov-2015 21:52 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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