What happened
On 23 September 2014, a mid-air collision occurred near St Neots, Bedfordshire, involving two light aircraft operating in Class G airspace. The first aircraft, a Denney Kitfox, registration G-TOMZ, departed from a private airstrip heading south towards Sandy Airfield. Simultaneously, a Cessna F177RG Cardinal, registration G-AZTW, was en route from Fowlmere Airfield to Sywell Aerodrome.
As the aircraft converged, the pilot of the Cessna F177RG observed a high-wing aircraft appearing to climb towards him at a very close range. The pilot attempted an immediate evasive manoeuvre by pulling back and turning left, but the impact occurred. The collision caused significant damage to the CessNA F177RG, including damage to the engine cowling, propeller, and tailplane, though the pilot was able to land safely at Bedford Aerodrome uninjured.
In contrast, the Denney Kitfox sustained catastrophic structural failure. The impact between the Cessna F177RG propeller and the right wing tip of the G-TOMZ caused the wing to break away. The G-TOMZ crashed into a field, resulting in one fatality for the pilot.