What happened
On 13 July 2024, an Extra EA-200, registration G-EEEK, was involved in a fatal accident at Spanhoe Airfield, Northamptonshire. The pilot, an experienced aerobatic instructor, had flown the aircraft from Fowlmere Airfield to meet a friend. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a flypast before pitching the aircraft into a vertical climb. During this ascent, the aircraft completed several aileron rolls. At the peak of the climb, the aircraft entered a left-hand flat spin. The aircraft failed to recover from this rotation before striking the ground near the airfield access road, resulting in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the wreckage, CCTV footage, and witness accounts. CCTV analysis confirmed the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of approximately 1,200 ft agl during its vertical manoeuvre. Witnesses observed the aircraft performing rolls during the climb and noted it appeared to 'fall' into a descent in a flat spin.
Physical examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine was still producing power at the moment of impact, and the propeller was rotating. While the intense post-impact fire destroyed much of the airframe and control components, investigators confirmed that the rudder control cables were intact. However, the melting of the aileron and elevator pushrods and bellcranks prevented a definitive assessment of the control surfaces' condition immediately prior to the impact. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's transponder had not been recorded in flight since March 2024.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a left-hand flat spin from which it could not be recovered at the altitude attained.
- The maximum height reached during the manoeuvre was approximately 1,200 ft agl, leaving a very narrow margin for recovery, as an estimated 600 to 800 ft is required for a safe pull-out from such a spin.
- The exact reason for the low-level, unapproved manoeuvres could not be established.
- It remains possible that a restriction in the flight controls prevented recovery, although no definitive evidence of a pre-impact defect was found.
- The possibility of pilot incapacitation due to the physiological effects of positive and negative g-forces cannot be ruled out, despite a post-mortem showing no natural disease.
- The presence of fuel in the wing tanks, which is not permitted during aerobatics due to structural and gyroscopic risks, may have complicated the recovery attempt.