What happened
On 12 June 2014, a Europa aircraft, registration G-OURO, was conducting a private flight at an altitude of 2,200 ft when the pilot experienced a sudden engine failure. The pilot reported hearing a single loud bang, followed by a physical judder and the immediate loss of engine power.
In an attempt to restore power, the pilot switched to the reserve fuel tank; however, the engine failed to restart. The pilot subsequently declared a MAYDAY to Turweston Radio, set the transender to 7700, and identified a suitable landing site in a wheat field approximately six miles west of Sywell Airfield.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft touched down on both main wheels. Although the pilot attempted to hold the control column aft to prevent the nose gear from making contact with the ground, the nosewheel collapsed during the ground roll. This caused the nosewheel to detach and resulted in damage to the front of the aircraft. The passenger on board sustained minor bruising from the shoulder harness, while the pilot remained uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the engine failure and the subsequent structural failure of the landing gear during the emergency touchdown.