What happened
On 24 June 2015, an Escapade, registration G-CGNV, was involved in an accident at Sandown Airport, Isle of Wight. The aircraft, which was performing a private flight, had completed a normal landing and was taxiing at a speed of approximately 5 knots. During this taxi phase, the right wing tip suddenly descended and struck the ground. This impact caused the engine to stop. Following the event, the pilot and one passenger exited the aircraft through the left-hand door. There were no injuries to the crew or passengers.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the right aileron, and the right wing tip, with a potential engine shock-load also noted. An inspection of the landing gear was conducted by an individual experienced in constructing the same aircraft type. While the right main gear bungee could not be directly inspected because it was tangled in rope and supporting the aircraft, observations were made regarding the surrounding hardware. The inspection revealed that the back-up wire had failed in tension as a result of the sudden release of the bungee. No damage was observed on the bungee strut, the gear leg, or the ‘V’ brace.