Date:	Tuesday 2 May 2017
Time:	13:30
Type:	Vans RV-4
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-RVER
MSN:	497
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Bute Airfield, off Plan Road, Isle of Bute, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK)
Destination airport:	Bute Airfield, Isle of Bute, Scotland
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Vans RV-4, G-RVER: Damage during taxi out downwind, aircraft tail lifted and propeller struck ground, Bute Airfield, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 May 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report:

"On arrival at Bute there was no wind and the aircraft was parked facing west. Approximately an hour and a half later the pilot returned and, after the normal pre-flight checks, started up. During start-up the control column was held fully aft, which is normal. In order to taxi forward, while still holding the control column aft, the pilot applied some power along with right rudder and brake to initiate a turn. At this point the tail rose and, although the right brake was released, the tail continued to rise until the propeller struck the ground and stopped the engine after approximately 4-5 full revolutions. After shutting down the pilot realised the wind had picked up and was from the east, at approximately 12 kt. There was therefore a tailwind affecting the taxi out and he reported that it would have been more appropriate to hold the control column neutral or slightly forward.

A subsequent examination of the aircraft showed damage to the outer four inches of both propeller blades, and the tailwheel spring retaining bolt hole was elongated with the retaining bolt bent".

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Propeller and engine shock-loaded and tailwheel damaged". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, having accumulated a total of 1,235 flying hours as at 26 April 2022. However, it is possible that G-RVER has since been withdrawn from use, as the Permit to Fly expired on 25 April 2023 and has not been renewed. (The AirNav Radar Box website - see link #3 - shows the last recorded flight of the aircraft as being on 29 October 2022, with G-RVER landing at Glasgow Prestwick (PIK/EGPK) at 10:20 BST)

Bute Airfield is located West of Plan Road, 1 nautical mile West of Kilchattan Bay, South West of Kingarth.

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/59c396ceed915d408c10d133/Vans_RV-4_G-RVER_10-17.pdf
2. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-RVER/1008182
3. https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/G-RVER
4. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/G-RVER
5. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-RVER.html
6. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N4306U.html
7. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N4306U.html
8. https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult (N4306U)
9. https://www.pprune.org/private-flying/434828-bute-airstrip.html
10. https://www.visitbute.com/bute-airstrip/
11. https://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Bute
12. https://airportguide.com/airport/info/AG6199

This Vans RV-4 was built in 1991, and was first registered in the United States as N4306U on 28 June 1991 to International Air Services Inc Trustee, who have an address in Southam, near Coventry (which implies that the aircraft was UK-based, despite the US registration)

On 26 July 2011, the US registration was cancelled, and the aircraft was next registered in the UK as G-RVER on 18 August 2011 to the first of three UK based owners. G-RVER accumulated a total of 1,235 flying hours as at 26 April 2022. However, it is possible that G-RVER has since been withdrawn from use, as the Permit to Fly expired on 25 April 2023 and has not been renewed. (The AirNav Radar Box website - see link #3 - shows the last recorded flight of the aircraft as being on 29 October 2022, with G-RVER landing at Glasgow Prestwick (PIK/EGPK) at 10:20 BST)

G-RVER: Vans RV-4 at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK) 14 January 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-May-2024 06:12	Dr. John Smith	Added
26-May-2024 06:12	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]