What happened
On 6 June 2018, an Aviat A-1B Husky, registration G-GGZZ, was performing a private flight at Sherlowe Airstrip in Shropshire. The pilot was conducting circuit training using short takeoff and landing (STOL) techniques, accompanied by the aircraft owner in the rear seat. Due to the proximity of a nearby military airfield, the flight was maintained below 500 ft aal.
During the base leg, the pilot deployed full flaps and reduced the airspeed to 45 mph. As the aircraft transitioned to the final approach, it began to descend below the intended approach angle at an altitude of less than 100 ft aal. Although the pilot attempted to increase power by steadily advancing the throttle, the engine failed to respond. Consequently, the pilot was forced to execute an emergency landing in a field of rapeseed adjacent to the runway.
Upon contact with the ground, the right main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 30 m short of the runway, with the right wingtip making contact with the earth. There were no injuries to the two occupants, though the aircraft sustained significant damage to the engine, propeller, right wing, struts, and main landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation examined the engine's failure to respond to throttle inputs and reviewed previous flight history. The owner noted that during recent practice sessions for an upcoming competition, the engine had occasionally failed to respond when the throttle was rapidly advanced from idle. This phenomenon, identified as a rich cut, had been discussed between the owner and engineers prior to the flight.
To prevent a recurrence, the pilot had intentionally avoided rapid throttle movements and maintained the engine at a speed slightly above idle. However, during this specific approach, the lack of power persisted. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed no evidence of a technical malfunction, and the engine was scheduled for a complete strip-down and rebuild during the repair process.