Accident Details
On 12 July 2018 at 1910 UTC, a Pegasus Quantum 15-912 microlight, registration G-KAZI, was involved in an accident during a training flight at Headon Airfield, Nottinghamshire. The aircraft was powered by a single Rotax 912-UL piston engine and had been manufactured in 2005. The flight was under the supervision of a 66-year-old instructor holding a Private Pilot's Licence, who had accumulated 3,897 total flying hours, of which 3,122 were on type. The student pilot was the only passenger.
Sequence of Events
The student had completed two landings on Runway 05 with the instructor following through on the control bar. For the third landing, the instructor removed his hands from the control bar to demonstrate to the student that he had full control. An idle approach was flown, and the student increased power during short final to maintain approach speed and angle. The student began to round out upon crossing the threshold. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft touched down heavily, bounced, and veered off the runway centreline. The instructor took control and advanced the hand throttle but was unable to regain full control before the aircraft struck a hedge parallel to and to the right of the runway. The aircraft spun horizontally through 180 degrees before coming to rest in the hedge.
Pilot Reports
The instructor reported that he had instructed the student to round out more, but he believed that the student made an opposite control input, which steepened the approach. The student did not recall this exchange. The instructor commented that he should not have too much confidence in a student’s ability until they have more experience, and he should maintain vigilance during critical stages of training flights and be ready to take immediate control if required.
Injuries and Damage
Both the instructor and student sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair.