What happened
On 18 April 2015, a Druine D.62A Condor, registration G-ASEU, was conducting a private flight from Inverness Airport to Insch Airfield in Aberdeenshire. The meteorological conditions at the time were favorable, characterized by good visibility exceeding 10 km and light, variable winds.
As the pilot approached Insch, the aircraft was positioned to join the left-hand circuit for Runway 13. During the crosswind leg of the circuit, the pilot descended from 1,500 ft and deployed full flaps. As the aircraft transitioned onto the downwind leg, it entered a stall. This was accompanied by a drop in the left wing and a rapid descent to the left. The aircraft lacked sufficient altitude to recover from the maneuver and subsequently struck a stock fence, coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was able to exit the wreckage and received medical attention; no injuries were sustained.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the flight parameters during the circuit and the configuration of the aircraft at the moment of the stall. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained extensive damage to the forward fuselage and wings, and the engine had been shock-loaded during the impact.
Findings
- The pilot had deployed full flaps earlier than is typical for the procedure.
- The aircraft's airspeed decreased significantly during the left turn.
- The primary cause of the accident was the decay of airspeed during the turn following the early deployment of full flaps.
- The aircraft exhibited a known tendency to experience a wing drop when stalling at speeds of approximately 36-38 kt while in a full-flap configuration.