What happened
On 13 September 2016, a Colomban MC-15 Cri-Cri, registration G-CRIK, was performing a private flight at Popham Airfield in Hampshire. Prior to the flight, the pilot had adjusted the mixture settings on the carburettors of both Solo Kleinmotoren Gmbh 210D piston engines and intended to test these changes during a short circuit.
During the flight, the aircraft operated normally while flying a circuit from Runway 03. However, as the pilot transitioned to the final approach, the landing flap was lowered while maintaining a moderate power setting. At an altitude of approximately 400 to 500 feet, the pilot began reducing power by closing the throttles sequentially. Immediately after the second throttle was closed, the first engine ceased operation. The pilot attempted to increase power on the remaining active engine, but it also failed.
Following the loss of power, the aircraft entered a glide approach. During the flare, roughly two feet above the ground, the right wing dropped, causing the aircraft to land heavily on the grass surface. The impact resulted in damage to the canopy and a buckled starboard aileron. Although the pilot's head struck the canopy during the touchdown, there were no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of engine shutdowns in relation to the pilot's recent maintenance actions. The pilot noted that the mixture controls on both carburettors had been altered, and he believed this adjustment was the primary factor in the engine failures.