What happened
On 16 August 2023, a Magic Cyclone, registration G-KEVA, was preparing for departure from Glassonby Airfield in Cumbria. During the pre-takeoff phase, the pilot shut down the engine to exit the cockpit and adjust a camera mounted on the wing.
Upon returning to the cockpit from the right side, the pilot inadvertently moved the hand throttle forward. This movement was likely due to the pilot's unfamiliarity with the aircraft's configuration, as his previous aircraft featured a left-side throttle mount, and this was only his second flight in G-KEVA.
As the engine was restarted, the aircraft experienced immediate and sudden acceleration. During this uncontrolled movement, the aircraft struck a windsock tension cable and a wire fence located at the side of the runway. The impact resulted in the pilot being thrown from the aircraft, where he was subsequently found trapped under the wreckage. The pilot sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
AAIB investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine start and the cockpit configuration. The investigation established that the pilot had exited the aircraft to perform maintenance on a wing-mounted camera.
Investigators looked into the pilot's familiarity with the specific controls of the Magic Cyclone. It was noted that the pilot's previous experience involved a different throttle orientation. Furthermore, the investigation assessed the state of the cockpit safety systems, noting that the pilot could not definitively recall if the safety harness had been fastened prior to the engine restart.