What happened
On 20 April 2019, a Pegasus Quantum 15-912, registration G-BZSS, was conducting a private flight when it encountered significant sink during the final approach to Holmbeck Farm Airfield. Despite the pilot's attempts to flare and increase power, the aircraft experienced a high rate of descent, resulting in a hard landing. The impact caused substantial damage to the aircraft, specifically affecting the nose landing gear, the right main landing gear, the front strut, and the base tube.
Following the impact, the foot throttle became jammed at a high power setting. After the aircraft bounced, the pilot chose to climb away from the airfield. Due to the engine being stuck at high power, the pilot decided to divert to the disused RAF Oakley in Buckinghamshire, as the concrete runway there offered a safer option for the situation.
While en route to the new destination, the pilot used the emergency frequency to alert services. After holding overhead to allow emergency responders to arrive, the pilot shut off the ignition systems and performed a successful dead-stick landing. Both the pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the mechanical state of the aircraft following the impact, specifically focusing on how the landing gear damage led to the malfunction of the foot throttle. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's decision-making process regarding the diversion to RAF Oakley and the execution of the engine-off emergency landing.