Accident
On 31 October 2015 at approximately 1457 UTC, a Dragon Chaser flex-wing microlight, registration G-CHNP, crashed in a field adjacent to Pitsford Water, Northamptonshire. The pilot, the only person on board, was fatally injured. The aircraft sustained damage beyond economic repair.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses observed the aircraft in its final minutes. One witness saw it flying lower than usual, make a sharp left turn, and descend steeply. Another saw it at about 100 ft above ground level, gain a little height, then descend in a left turn before steepening and striking the ground hard. This witness heard nothing until the impact, suggesting the engine may not have been running or was quiet. Other witnesses reported hearing the engine, with some noting a change in tone or cessation before the aircraft descended steeply. One witness saw the aircraft appear under control and thought the pilot might be attempting to land. Another heard a loud noise, saw the engine 'feathered', and then the aircraft dropped, with the front wheel impacting and digging into the ground, causing a somersault before coming to rest.
Aircraft Information
G-CHNP was a single-seat deregulated (SSDR) Dragon Chaser, a combination of a Dragonfly trike and a Chaser 2 sail. It was powered by a single Polini Thor 250 piston engine with a fixed two-bladed pusher propeller. The aircraft was controlled by weight shift and had an electrically-driven pitch trim. The wing was of conventional flex-wing construction with seven battens per side. The aircraft was manufactured in 2012 and had fixed landing gear with spats on both mainwheels. The typical still-air landing distance from 15 m was about 250 m. No pre-existing structural or control problems were found during inspection.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 71, held a National Private Pilot’s Licence and had 242 hours of flying experience, with 2 hours on type. He regularly flew flex-wing and three-axis microlights. A post-mortem examination found no evidence of an incapacitating medical condition, and toxicology results were unremarkable. The pathologist noted no specific 'control injuries' on the pilot’s hands or feet, but caution was advised in interpreting this absence.
Meteorological Conditions
The weather was fine and dry. At Cranfield Aerodrome, 18 nm southeast, the wind was from the south at 4 kt, visibility 8 km, temperature 15°C, dewpoint 11°C, and pressure 1022 hPa. The sun’s elevation was 12° on a bearing of 228°T. According to the CAA carburettor icing chart, the temperature and dewpoint values placed conditions on the boundary between 'serious icing – any power' and 'moderate icing – cruise power/serious icing – descent power'.
Wreckage and Examination
The aircraft crashed in a large field about 400 m long and 100 m wide, at the top of a gently sloping knoll. Ground marks indicated the nose wheel struck heavily, followed by a somersault that created two holes from the wing apex and mast top before the aircraft came to rest upright. The landing gear leg was deformed rearwards, consistent with the left mainwheel striking the ground shortly after the nosewheel. Both propeller blades failed chord-wise about halfway along their length, likely due to the wheel spat entering the propeller disc. The electric trim was found in a high-speed position, extended about 5 cm. Fuel was present in the carburettor and tank. Engineering examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failure or abnormal running; it was likely producing significant power at impact.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the pilot was suitably licenced and current, the aircraft was serviceable, and weather was suitable. However, carburettor icing conditions existed. Witness accounts suggested the aircraft appeared under control and under power before descending from low height. No specific cause for the accident was identified.