What happened
On 5 June 2015, at approximately 12:50 UTC, a Eurostar aircraft, registration G-CEZF, was performing a private flight from Broadmeadow Farm in Herefordshire. During the takeoff roll on Runway 28, under conditions featuring a southerly wind of approximately 10-15 knots, the aircraft experienced a sudden deviation to the left.
After traveling roughly 100 metres along the runway, the aircraft departed the paved surface. The pilot was unable to regain directional control, and the aircraft eventually came to a stop approximately five metres into an adjacent field. There were no injuries to the pilot during the event. The excursion resulted in damage to the aircraft's nose, the propeller, the right wing, and the right main landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's actions during the takeoff roll. The pilot noted that the aircraft's sudden leftward movement was influenced by a gusting crosswind. The pilot also assessed that the control inputs applied during the incident were insufficient to counteract the swing caused by the wind.
Findings
- The aircraft departed the runway due to insufficient control input to correct a leftward swing.
- The deviation was triggered by a gusting crosswind during the initial stages of the takeoff roll.