Accident Overview
On 11 April 2014, at approximately 1330 UTC, a private flight in an Ikarus C42 FB100 (registration G-DASS) ended with a heavy landing short of the runway at Leicester Airport. The sole occupant, the pilot, was not injured. The aircraft sustained damage to the left main landing gear, nosewheel, and propeller.
History of the Flight
The pilot had flown from Wickenby to Leicester and intended to return. After completing pre-flight checks and takeoff without anomalies, he discovered that the throttle lever was jammed at the full power setting and could not be reduced. After several unsuccessful attempts to free it, he climbed to 2,400 ft above ground level over the airfield and shut down the engine, planning a glide approach. During the approach, the aircraft encountered an area of sink and touched down heavily in crops approximately 100 m short of the runway. The pilot later opined that selecting a further touchdown point might have improved the margin for such conditions.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the aircraft revealed that the throttle linkage had fouled a hole in the centre console side panel, causing the jam. A witness mark indicated interference between the clevis pin in the throttle linkage and the hole in the side panel. Additionally, the arm from the throttle cross tube was bent, reducing its range of movement. This condition matched a known problem described in Service Bulletin (SB) 28, issued by the Ikarus agent/distributor in May 2010. SB 28 recommended an inspection for contact between the clevis pin and side panel and, even if no contact was found, the embodiment of a modification involving replacement of a fixed spacer with a longer one to guarantee clearance. G-DASS had not undergone this modification. The circumstances were similar to an incident recounted in the bulletin, where a student pilot experienced a throttle jam and forced movement caused a bent arm.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the investigation report.