What happened
On 15 August 2016, a Pegasus Quantum 15, registration G-MYMX, was conducting a private flight from Insch Airfield in Aberdeenshire. Shortly after departing the airfield, while the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 250 ft agl, the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine power.
As the engine failed, the pilot identified that the terrain directly ahead was not suitable for an emergency landing. In an attempt to reach an adjacent field, the pilot initiated a left-hand turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft's wing entered a stall, leading to a sideslip. The pilot was unable to recover the aircraft's attitude before it struck the ground, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and significant damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation focused on the sequence of events following the engine failure and the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft during the emergency maneuver. The investigation examined the pilot's actions and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the onset of the sideslip was influenced by a combination of low airspeed, the steep angle of the turn, and the presence of a tailwind component.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine power loss remained unidentified following the investigation.
- The aircraft entered a sideslip during the turn due to the loss of airspeed and the steepness of the maneuver.
- A tailwind component contributed to the difficulty in maintaining controlled flight during the emergency turn.