What happened
On 14 March 2018, a Dyn’Aéro MCR-01 UL, registration OO-D51, was conducting a private flight from Calais, France, toward Lymm Dam airfield. While transiting through the airspace near Stoke-on-Trent and preparing to enter the low-level route between the Manchester and Liverpool CTRs, the aircraft encountered a critical structural failure.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 1,000 ft while approaching Winsford, a large portion of the canopy became detached from the airframe. Following this event, the pilot initiated an emergency procedure and executed a forced landing in a nearby grass field. During the touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in damage to the propeller, the right wing, the wheel, and the lower engine support. The pilot sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators looked into the circumstances surrounding the structural failure of the canopy. The pilot suggested that the detachment might have been caused by a collision with a drone; however, the investigation found no physical evidence of a drone in the area, nor was the missing section of the canopy recovered.
Findings
- The aircraft suffered damage to the canopy, nose gear, right wing, propeller, and engine support.
- The cause of the canopy detachment remains undetermined due to the absence of the detached component and no evidence of a drone strike.