What happened
On 29 May 2017, an Ikarus C42, registration G-FLYM, was conducting a private flight near Castlewellan, Co Down. The pilot, who had recently obtained a National Private Pilot’s Licence, was flying with one passenger on a route intended to circumnavigate the Mourne Mountains.
During the return leg of the flight, the pilot encountered a combination of rising ground, decreasing visibility, and a lowering cloudbase. While attempting to locate a suitable field for an emergency landing, the pilot was unable to find clear ground and instead performed an emergency landing into the tops of trees on a hilltop. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had completed all training on this specific aircraft type and had accumulated 46 total flying hours. Prior to departure, an instructor had advised the pilot to remain within the "local area." However, the pilot interpreted this instruction to include an area as far as Newry, approximately 13 nm from the departure point.
Investigators found that while the cloudbase remained above 1,000 ft during the initial stages of the flight, the terrain near the accident site rises to 750 ft amsl. The pilot had not fully accounted for the impact of the rising terrain on the available clearance beneath the clouds.
Findings
- The pilot's inability to maintain visual contact with the ground was caused by the combination of rising terrain and lowering cloud.
- The pilot's interpretation of the term "local area" was broader than the 4 to 5 nm radius typically intended by instructors at the home airfield.
- The pilot did not realize that the terrain elevation would significantly reduce the margin between the cloudbase and the ground during the return leg.