Date:	Thursday 3 October 2024
Time:	day
Type:	Pegasus Quantum 15-582
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-MYZJ
MSN:	7150
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Athey's Moor Airfield, Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Athey's Moor Airfield, Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland
Destination airport:

Narrative:
3 October 2024: Pegasus Quantum 15-582 G-MYZJ went missing (and is thus presumed destroyed) in a strange incident at Athey's Moor Airfield, Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland. In short, the aircraft took off WITHOUT a pilot on board (turning the ultralight aircraft into an impromptu UAV!) and flew eastwards, unpiloted, until the fuel was exhausted, at which point it is presumed to have crashed into the North Sea off the coast of South East Northumberland, north and east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The incident was also the subject of an AAIB Record only investigation, published on 12 December 2024, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report:

"With the aircraft battery flat, the pilot decided to hand start the engine from outside the aircraft. The engine started but the aircraft accelerated away from the pilot and took off, unpiloted. It was subsequently tracked by radar as it flew over the Northumberland coast, north of Newcastle, and flew out to sea. It was presumed to have subsequently crashed into the sea".

Damage Sustained to airframe
Strictly speaking, as the aircraft went missing (disappeared without anyone on board) the damage could not be assessed as the wreckage was never found. The AAIB decided to presume that G-MYZJ had "subsequently crashed into the sea" (the "sea" in question being the North Sea, off the coast of Northumberland, north and east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne) and is thus presumed destroyed. Note that Atheys Moor Airfield was where G-MYZJ took off, and NOT where it crashed. However, Athey's Moor Airfield is the last time the aircraft was confirmed as being seen, so the AAIB lists that location as where the incident began...

1. AAIB Record-only investigations reviewed: September-October 2024 (Published 12 December 2024) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aaib-record-only-investigations-reviewed-september-october-2024/aaib-record-only-investigations-reviewed-september-october-2024
2. https://www.euroga.org/forums/crash-talk/16134-pegasus-quantum- December 15-g-myzj-flies-away-with-no-pilot
3. BBC Newcastle: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4x3kkd1rpo (Note; Mis-identified the aircraft involved as "G-MYZL" [sic])
4. https://www.inkl.com/news/small-aircraft-took-off-by-itself-and-flew-out-to-sea-accident-report-reveals
5. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-MYZJ.html
6. https://www.airnavradar.com/data/registration/G-MYZJ
7. https://www.atheysmoor.com/admissions
8. https://metar-taf.com/airport/GB-0685-atheys-moor-airfield
9. https://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Atheys-Moor

G-MYZJ was built in 1996 (first registered from new 24 January 1996). Between 24 January 1996 and 19 August 2021, G-MYZJ passed through the hands of eleven successive owners. Following the above incident on 3 October 2024, the CAA suspended the Certificate of Airworthiness/Permit to Fly, although the registration was still current as at 14 December 2024.Total amount of flying hours accumulated on the airframe: 710 as at 16 October 2020.

Plane takes off without pilot and flies out to sea https://t.co/Ke7UtNo02B

— BBC North East (@BBCNEandCumbria) December 18, 2024

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Dec-2024 10:25	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Dec-2024 19:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]