Date:	Tuesday 9 June 2020
Time:	13:00
Type:	Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-CDSD
MSN:	PFA 330-14439
Year of manufacture:	2005
Engine model:	Rotax 912ULS
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Wallis International Airstrip, 26 North Side, Thorney, Peterborough -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Private Airstrip, near Alconbury, Cambridegshire
Destination airport:	Wallis International Airstrip, Peterborough
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300, G-CDSD: Substantially damaged - and later deemed to have been written off (damaged beyond repair) - due to a runway excursion on landing at Wallis International Airstrip, 26 North Side, Thorney, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, 9 June 2020. The AAIB Final Report was published on 12 November 2020, and the following is an excerpt from it...

"Synopsis
The aircraft bounced on touchdown and landed back on the left side of the runway. The left wing became caught in long grass and the aircraft yawed left, veering off the runway and dropping into a dyke where it came to a halt.

History of the Flight
The pilot flew from a private farm strip east of Alconbury Airfield to Wallis International Airstrip near Whittlesey. The weather was good; CAVOK and light winds. The transit was uneventful and, on arrival, the pilot flew a normal approach to Runway 08, but with a planned go-around to check the runway before landing.

The high trees near the Runway 08 threshold were noted, as was the direction of the wind, which was from the east and down the runway. A second approach was made but, due to other traffic, another go-around was flown.

The third approach was commenced with full flap selected on finals, and with an approach speed of 65 Knots IAS reducing to 50-55 Knots IAS over the threshold. The need to ensure a safe margin over the trees caused the aircraft to touch down approximately half-way along the 770 metre grass strip where it went over a bump, causing it to bounce and land back on the left side of the runway.

The pilot applied the wheel brakes but the left wing became caught in long grass and the aircraft yawed to the left, veering off the runway and striking several concrete posts and barbed wire fencing. It dropped into a water filled dyke on the north side of the runway and the canopy detached, with the aircraft remaining upright.

The pilot and passenger were uninjured and were able to vacate the aircraft unassisted. The pilot considered that a lack of experience of landing on a farm strip with obstacles, such as the trees close to the threshold, had caused the aircraft to touch down further into the runway than expected. Encountering the bump in the runway surface and touching down close to the left edge of the runway led to the left wing entering the long grass".

Damage sustained to airframe: Per the above AAIB report "Damage to the engine and airframe". The damage sustained was presumably severe enough to warrant that the airframe was "damaged beyond repair", as the registration G-CDSD was cancelled by the CAA (and the airframe de-registered) on 20 January 2021

Note that the official Address of the airstrip in questions is "Wallis International Airstrip, 26 North Side, Thorney, Peterborough" (see link #7). The AAIB report descibed the location as "Wallis International Airstrip near Whittlesey". However, the airport's location is also described as "East of the B1040, just North of the River Nene and about 1.5 nautical miles North North-East of Whittlesey town centre" (see link #8)

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f882162d3bf7f6339ed7a7f/Pioneer_300_G-CDSD_11-20.pdf
2. Peterborough Telegraph 13 November 2020: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/pilot-admits-lack-of-experience-played-a-role-in-whittlesey-plane-crash-3035301
3. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-CDSD.html
4. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-cdsd
5. https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/G-CDSD/1418799786
6. https://planefinder.net/data/aircraft/G-CDSD
7. https://peterborough.ukintouch.com/airport/wallis-international-airstrip/
8. http://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Wallis-International

Built 2005; First UK registered as G-CDSD to Pioneer Aviation UK (UK agents) on 3 November 2005. Sold on to the 2nd owner 1 May 2007. Between 3 November 2005 and 21 September 2018, G-CDSD passed through the hands of six successive owners.

After the incident at Wallis International Airstrip, Peterborough on 9 June 2020, the damage sustained was presumably severe enough to warrant that the airframe was "damaged beyond repair", as the registration G-CDSD was cancelled by the CAA (and the airframe de-registered) on 20 January 2021. Total amount of flying hours accumulated on the airframe: 485 as at 8 August 2019

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Nov-2020 19:23	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Nov-2020 15:24	harro	Updated [Accident report, ]
26-Oct-2024 18:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, Category, ]