Accident Overview
On 7 October 2020, at approximately 1620 UTC, a Cessna 185A Skywagon, registration G-BLOS, crashed into a wooded area shortly after takeoff from Pauncefoot Airstrip near Romsey, Hampshire. The aircraft, built in 1962 and powered by a single Continental Motors Corp IO-470-F piston engine, was being operated on a private flight to Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The sole occupant, the 63-year-old pilot, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had 395 total flying hours, with 42 hours on type. He suffered serious injuries in the accident. The aircraft sustained significant damage: both wings separated and the fuselage was heavily damaged.
History of the Flight
The pilot, a co-owner of the aircraft, wheeled it out of its hangar and prepared for the late afternoon flight. Wing fuel tanks were full with 320 litres of Avgas. After pre-flight checks, the engine was started and the aircraft taxied to the runway. During pre-takeoff power checks, the propeller control was initially slow to react but performed satisfactorily on subsequent checks. After lining up, the pilot commenced takeoff. The aircraft climbed normally at first, with a small right heading change as was the pilot's practice. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft levelled off and began a gradual descent with increasing groundspeed, heading directly toward a small forest. The pilot had no recollection after the heading change but became vaguely aware of foliage passing the cockpit.
The aircraft struck the treetops, slowing as it descended through the canopy. Both wings detached as the aircraft hit thicker tree trunks. The fuselage came to rest upright in dense laurel bushes approximately 1,000 m from the start of the takeoff roll. The wings were found about 30 m behind the fuselage. Witnesses on a nearby road saw the aircraft descending into the trees and alerted emergency services. The pilot was found lying partially outside the fuselage on the right side, seriously injured.
Aircraft Examination
The aircraft was moved to the AAIB hangar for detailed inspection. The rear fuselage, just forward of the tailplane and fin leading edges, had partially separated and was bent to the left. All cockpit instruments and switches were intact. The barometric altimeter was set to 1015 hPa. The mixture control was fully in (rich), the throttle fully in (full power), and the propeller control fully in (high rpm). The flap lever was bent to the right but set at the first stage of flap. The left control yoke was undamaged and correctly connected; the right control yoke shaft had broken and hung loosely. The elevator trim wheel was undamaged, with its indicator slightly aft of mid-position; the trim system operated correctly. The rudder trim wheel was jammed and misaligned. No faults were found that could have caused or contributed to the accident.
Recorded Information
An electronic tablet with an aviation navigation app was recovered. The app recorded flight logs using GNSS. The accident flight log began at 1416 hrs, with takeoff at 1433:08 hrs. The last data point was 36 seconds later. Initial climb was approximately 1,000 ft/min at 70 mph groundspeed. Weather from Southampton Airport (12 km away) indicated a headwind of about 7 mph. The aircraft stopped climbing at about 150 ft agl and then descended, accelerating. The power used in the descent was similar to that in the climb, as indicated by altitude/speed profiles. Sixty-five flights were logged between April 2018 and the accident flight; the three prior flights were in July 2020, and the one before that in November 2019.
Pilot Incapacitation
The pilot could not recall any events of the accident. Extensive examination of the aircraft revealed no pre-existing mechanical issues. Investigators considered it likely that the pilot became incapacitated after takeoff, leading to a descent due to slight out-of-trim condition or involuntary control input. The exact cause of the likely incapacitation could not be established.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 185A Skywagon is a six-seat, high-wing, all-metal monoplane with fixed main landing gear and a tail wheel. It is powered by a Continental IO-470-F fuel-injected engine driving a two-blade variable-pitch propeller. The aircraft had a valid airworthiness review certificate, with its most recent annual inspection in May 2020. The engine had undergone a full overhaul in 2018.
Accident Site
The aircraft struck treetops in a small forest on private land. It descended through the canopy, shedding wings and parts of the landing gear. Wing fuel tanks split open, dispersing all fuel. The fuselage came to rest in dense laurel bushes up to 2 m high. The empennage and fin were displaced to the side. The cabin and cockpit retained their shape; the windscreen was missing, with Perspex fragments scattered. The propellers showed distortion indicative of rotation under power throughout the sequence.