Date:	Wednesday 6 June 2018
Time:	16:00 LT
Type:	Aviat A-1B Husky
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-GGZZ
MSN:	2078
Year of manufacture:	2000
Engine model:	Lycoming O-360-A1P
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Sherlowe Airstrip, Lower Grounds Farm, High Ercall, Shropshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Sherlowe Airstrip, Shropshire
Destination airport:	Sherlowe Airstrip, Shropshire
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Aviat A-1B Husky, G-GGZZ was substantially damaged on June 6th 2018 in a forced landing, due loss of power on final approach, at Sherlowe Airstrip, Lower Grounds Farm, High Ercall, Shropshire. The official AAIB report into the accident was published on November 8th 2018, and the following is an extract from it...

"The pilot was flying a circuit using short takeoff and landing techniques, with the aircraft’s owner observing from the rear tandem seat. The circuit was flown below 500 ft aal, because of an adjacent military airfield, and on the base leg the pilot selected full flap, before slowing to an indicated speed of 45 mph. He then turned onto the final approach, aiming to touchdown approximately 50 metres beyond the downwind end of the runway but, at less than 100 ft aal, the aircraft descended below the desired approach angle.

With the engine running slightly above idle, the pilot advanced the throttle steadily but the engine failed to respond, so the pilot was forced to try and land the aircraft in a field of rapeseed adjacent to the airstrip. The right main landing gear collapsed on ground contact and the aircraft abruptly decelerated to a halt, some 30 m short of the runway, with its right wingtip resting on the ground. The occupants vacated the aircraft without assistance.

Following the accident, the owner reported that he had practised numerous landings over a period of several weeks, because he was preparing to take part in a competition. On a couple of occasions, the engine had not responded when, to cushion his touchdown, he rapidly advanced the throttle from idle.

After discussing this with engineers, he concluded that his rapid advancement of the throttle had caused a rich cut, and, although the issue did not recur in the three weeks prior to the accident flight, he did brief the pilot about this before they flew. The pilot had, therefore, been careful to avoid a rich cut, by keeping the engine running above idle and by avoiding rapid movement of the throttle.

No evidence of a technical malfunction was found during the post-accident inspection, and the engine was due to be stripped-down and rebuilt during the aircraft’s repair."

=Pilot’s comments=
The pilot has considerable type experience and, although the reason for the engine’s lack of response to throttle movement is unknown, he does not believe that carburettor (induction) icing was the cause, as this is not a problem, he has found this aircraft type to be prone to and because he thought it was unlikely to occur on a flight of such a short duration. In his view the accident highlights that if an aircraft exhibits an intermittent fault, it is prudent to initiate an appropriate technical investigation at the earliest opportunity.

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB accident report "Damage to right wing, struts, main landing gear, propeller and engine". The aircraft was repaired/rebuilt, and sold on to its 2nd owner (in Dublin, Ireland) on 5 July 2019. The aircraft is apparently still flying in Ireland, with its UK registration G-GGZZ, as the airframe had accumulated a total of 663 flying hours on the airframe as at 14 January 2022.

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bc7353ee5274a361f835285/Aviat_A-1B_Husky_G-GGZZ_11-18.pdf
2. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-GGZZ.html
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N440PS.html
4. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/OY-NPS.html
5. https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=440PS
6. https://uk.flightaware.com/resources/registration/N440PS
7. https://oy-reg.dk/register/5989.html
8. https://ukga.com/airfield/sherlowe
9. http://www.airfieldcards.com/index.php?a=h&mi=1058

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


17 April 2001

N440PS

0

Hagerman, ID

sub

OY-NPS: Aviat A-1B Husky, arriving at Hahnweide Airport (EDST) Kirchheim unter Teck, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 9 September 2016. This aircraft was ex-N440PS (US Regsitry), and became G-GGZZ in June 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-Nov-2018 22:07	Dr.John Smith	Added
12-Nov-2018 20:15	harro	Updated [Source, Accident report, ]
21-Jul-2024 07:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]