What happened
On 24 August 2020, a Mainair Blade microlight, registration G-CBJT, was performing a dual cross-country training flight from Otherton Airstrip in Staffordshire. The crew consisted of an instructor acting as commander in the rear seat and a student in the front seat. The weather conditions were favorable with good visibility and light winds.
During the initial climb, at an altitude between 90 and 150 feet, the aircraft experienced a marked power loss. The instructor immediately took control of the aircraft. To avoid landing ahead, the instructor initiated a right-hand turn to target a potato field. During this maneuver, the aircraft's path intersected a line of trees. To avoid a collision with a tree, the instructor executed a steep bank of between 45° and 60°.
This high angle of bank caused the aircraft to descend rapidly. The aircraft struck the ground in a ploughed field, where the landing gear dug into the earth, causing the aircraft to decelerate abruptly over a distance of approximately six metres. The impact resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond economic repair. The student occupant sustained one serious injury, while the instructor sustained one minor injury.