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| Date: | Saturday 1 August 2015 |
| Time: | 14:00 LT |
| Type: |  Folland Gnat T Mk1 |
| Owner/operator: | Gnat Display Team / Heritage Aircraft Trust |
| Registration: | G-TIMM |
| MSN: | FL519 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1962 |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce Orpheus 101 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 1nm N Oulton Park Racing Circuit, Cheshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Hawarden (CEG/EGNR) |
| Hawarden (CEG/EGNR) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
An ex-military Folland Gnat crashed during a two-ship display at the Carfest North show at Oulton Park, Tarporley, Cheshire. An ejection was reported. however the pilot, the sole POB, was killed.
The aircraft was carrying out an aileron roll at low level during a flying display when, at an angle of bank of 107° to the left, the nose attitude dropped relative to the horizon. The pilot reversed the direction of roll but also applied a large pitch input which increased the rate of descent, and caused the aircraft to depart controlled flight and impact with the terrain. The accident was not survivable.
It was concluded that the situation was recoverable until the application of the pitch input.
Three AAIB Safety Recommendations were made on: minimum aerobatic heights; managing the risk of loss of aircraft control; and medical examination requirements for pilots of high performance aircraft.
The CAA issued a FACTOR update on the recommendations on 24 August 2016: One closed after action on display height limits, one on risk partially rejected but open until guidance published in 2017 and one (on medicals for fast jet pilots) closed with no change.
The team operates three Gnats: G-RORI (as "XR538"), G-TIMM (as "XS111", although its "real" RAF serials was XP504) and G-MOUR (as "XR992", although its "real" serial was XS102).
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://news.sky.com/story/1528895/spectators-film-plane-crash-at-uk-car-festival
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/carfest-plane-crash-aircraft-crashes-during-display-at-oulton-park-event-10432377.html
http://www.itv.com/news/story/2015-08-01/pilot-killed-after-aircraft-crashes-at-carfest-motoring-event-during-display/
http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/02/folland-gnat-pilot-killed-in-airshow-crash/
http://gnatdisplayteam.org/aircraft/
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=939805816076256&id=134724899917689
http://www.milairpix.com/gnat.htm
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-39967852
https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-folland-gnat-t-mk-1-g-timm
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/FACTORF52016
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/F5-2016%20Issue%202%20G-TIMM%20(18Jan2021).pdf
Media:
Plane Crashes At Motor Racing Track In Cheshire http://t.co/ew7sz1048L pic.twitter.com/KvAB4KquKa
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 1, 2015
I am very sad to announce there has been a serious air incident at CarFest North off site. The emergency services are in attendance.
— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) August 1, 2015Gnat private display team jet crashes at Carfest Cheshire. The pilot has ejected. Emergency services on scene. pic.twitter.com/28OIGwC3Wd
— WMidsEmergencyAlerts (@WMidsAlerts) August 1, 2015Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Aug-2015 14:29 | harro | Added |
| 01-Aug-2015 15:12 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Aug-2015 15:30 | Aerossurance | Updated [Damage, ] |
| 01-Aug-2015 16:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Aug-2015 16:20 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Aug-2015 17:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Aug-2015 19:19 | Aerossurance | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, ] |
| 02-Aug-2015 17:45 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 06-Aug-2015 02:17 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ] |
| 06-Aug-2015 13:05 | Loadmaster | Updated [Registration, Cn, ] |
| 12-May-2016 09:07 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Aug-2016 15:09 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 20-May-2017 20:14 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Embed code, ] |
| 30-Jan-2021 09:28 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code, Accident report, ] |
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