ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 191240
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| Date: | Friday 24 July 2009 |
| Time: | 10:24 |
| Type: | Cyclone AX2000 |
| Owner/operator: | Trustee of the Marlborough Aerotow Group |
| Registration: | G-MZJR |
| MSN: | 7385 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1998 |
| Engine model: | HKS 700E V3 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Clench Common Airfield, Marlborough, Wiltshire (EG20) |
| Le Touquet Côte d'Opale Airport (LTQ/LFAT) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 24-07-2009 when crashed at Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, Kent (at approximate co ordinates 51°19′ 56.71″ N, 0°10′ 23.84″ E): The aircraft was flying at 600 feet agl when the engine suddenly stopped. The pilot chose a small field for a forced landing and landed downwind with a tailwind of 10 to 15 mph. The aircraft landed well into the field and the combination of a late touchdown with a high ground speed and poor braking action on wet grass caused the aircraft to run on into a substantial wooden fence. Both the pilot and his passenger were injured in the accident. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The flight was planned to cross the English Channel to France, with a view to returning the next day as one of a large number of microlight aircraft taking part in a Bleriot Centenary celebration.
The aircraft was based at Clench Common microlight site, Wiltshire. When the passenger arrived on the morning of the accident the pilot, who was a part-owner of the aircraft, had refuelled it and prepared it for flight.
They both ensured that their baggage weight was kept to a minimum. The pilot calculated the takeoff weight as 415 kg. The fuel on board at departure was 45 litres, giving an endurance of more than four hours. The pilot planned to fly from Clench Common to Headcorn Airfield, Kent, to clear customs before continuing on to Le Touquet, France.
Aware that the weather was changeable with rain showers forecast, he planned two possible routes, and drew them on his map. The aircraft took off from Clench Common at 08:35 hours, and flew in an easterly direction at first, but soon the pilot decided to take the more southerly of the two routes, and flew in a south-easterly direction towards a turning point north of Chichester. This route took the aircraft close to Popham Airfield and, while en route, the pilot decided, in view of the prevailing showery conditions, to land there and reassess the weather. The aircraft landed at Popham at 09:05 hours.
The pilot and his passenger spent their time at Popham looking at a radar chart of the weather activity, and discussing possible routings. At 09:25 hours, the aircraft took off and headed in a north-easterly direction before intercepting the M25 motorway and following it for a time. The pilot then decided that further progress towards Headcorn Airfield was not possible, and turned north‑east towards Biggin Hill.
He contacted Biggin Hill ATC and arranged to route overhead at 2,000 feet amsl. Once he had passed overhead, he descended to 1,100 feet amsl to avoid more showers, and considered where to route next. He had just decided to continue towards Rochester Airfield when, suddenly, the engine stopped. The pilot made an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, and selected a field for a forced landing.
He broadcast a MAYDAY message to Biggin Hill ATC informing them of the problem, and that he would be landing in a small field. When the engine failed, the propeller stopped immediately, and the aircraft began to descend. The passenger commented that the descent was steep, and time appeared short. The pilot lined up on his chosen field, which was rectangular and orientated in an east-west direction, and made an approach crossing low over the fence at the upwind (western) end.
The aircraft travelled approximately 400 feet into the field before touching down. The passenger remembered that, after the touchdown, there seemed to be very little retardation before the aircraft ran into the fence at the far end. The impact with the fence and a vertically embedded railway sleeper was severe, and the pilot was rendered unconscious.
The passenger exited the aircraft and, concerned about the possibility of a fire, attempted to help the pilot out. However, he was unable to do so and instead, having some knowledge of first aid, made sure that the pilot was in a safe position and able to breathe.
Biggin Hill ATC made several attempts to call G-MZJR, but received no response, and asked a training aircraft with an instructor on board to attempt to locate the missing aircraft. The training aircraft soon found the wreckage, and circled overhead at the request of ATC, in order to enable the Distress and Diversion (D&D) cell of the London Area and Terminal Control Centre to obtain a position fix on the accident site.
The emergency services arrived soon afterwards, and the pilot, who had sustained a head injury, was subsequently transferred to hospital in an air ambulance helicopter. The passenger, who suffered extensive bruising, was taken by road to a local hospital."
Nature of Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Substantial" damage sustained. As a result, the registration G-MZJR was cancelled by the CAA as "Permanently withdrawn from use", but not until 11-11-2015, over six years later.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fa2440f0b6134600081d/Cyclone_AX2000__G-MZJR_10-10.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/
3. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000466778.html
4. http://ulav8r.com/PDF%20files/26986000000.pdf
5. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Cyclone-AX2000/1065720/M
6. https://www.flickr.com/photos/97531768@N05/14393223205
7. http://home.btconnect.com/egkb/2009_07.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoreham,_Kent
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Nov-2016 01:07 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 09-Nov-2016 12:33 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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