History of the Flight
The pilot, who held a National Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) and had 117 hours of flying experience (17 hours on type), was converting to three-axis microlights. On 20 March 2016, he arrived at Stoke Airfield at about 1130 hrs. After a briefing with his instructor, he completed two training flights in the morning covering takeoffs, climbing, emergencies, and flap use. Following a debrief and a presentation on flap settings, a third dual flight included simulated engine failures. The pilot then flew solo, departing from Runway 06.
Accident Details
The instructor observed the takeoff. He heard full power applied and saw the aircraft become airborne. It climbed very rapidly, achieving an extreme nose-up attitude described as “hanging on its prop.” The aircraft drifted left, dropped its left wing, descended, and struck a set of high tension power cables adjacent to the runway. A bright flash occurred, and the aircraft fell to the ground. A post-crash fire broke out; the pilot sustained fatal injuries.
Accident Site and Wreckage
The aircraft came to rest inverted in a field beneath power cables running southwest-northeast. The right wing separated near the root after striking the middle set of cables on the south side, approximately 100 ft above ground. The right wing was found 13 m from the main wreckage. The left wing exhibited electrical discharge damage, and the fabric likely ignited from the electrical discharge. The fuel tank burst on impact, intensifying the fire. The propeller blades broke mid-span, suggesting power at impact. Examination indicated the right wing struck the cables while the aircraft was in a steep, probably vertical, nose-down attitude, causing a yaw that brought the left wing into light contact with lower cables, resulting in a phase-to-phase electrical discharge.
Aircraft Information
The Ikarus C42 FB100 (G-CDNR) is a two-seat high-wing microlight with a tricycle landing gear and a Rotax 912 ULS piston engine. Manufactured in 2005, it had accumulated over 2,420 flight hours. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident.
Additional Information
Two structural issues with the C42 model (fuselage tube cracking and A-strut cracking) were identified by the manufacturer after the accident. An Owner’s Service Bulletin (OSB 29) and a Civil Aviation Authority Emergency Mandatory Permit Directive were issued. G-CDNR had not been inspected under the MPD as the accident occurred before the problem was discovered. Two other C42 aircraft at the same airfield with slightly fewer hours were inspected and found crack-free.