What happened
On 17 October 2017, a Nipper T.66 RA45 Series 3, registration G-AVKI, was involved in an accident at RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire. During a private flight preparation, the engine was running at idle while the pilot was in the process of securing the aircraft for departure.
As the pilot leaned into the cockpit to stow the engine chocks and a restraining strap, the throttle was accidentally advanced. This caused the aircraft to move forward under its own power. In an attempt to halt the movement, the pilot gripped the left wing to restrain the plane. While this maneuver successfully guided the aircraft toward a grassed area next to the hangars, it failed to stop the momentum. The aircraft proceeded to rotate approximately three times before the pilot was forced to release his hold. The aircraft continued moving forward until it collided with the hangar doors.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the unintended movement of the aircraft. It was established that the engine was operating at idle speed during the stowage of flight equipment. The physical movement of the aircraft was directly linked to the accidental advancement of the throttle during the pilot's interaction with the cockpit controls.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, wings, rudder, and engine cowling, as well as damage to the hangar door.
- There were no injuries to the pilot.
- The primary cause of the accident was the accidental advancement of the throttle while the pilot was leaning into the cockpit.