What happened
On 31 July 2016, a Pegasus Quik Quik, registration G-CCOW, was performing a private local flight departing from the grass runway at Atheys Airfield in Northumberland. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and one passenger. At the time of departure, wind conditions were reported as a light easterly breeze between 10 and 12 knots.
As the aircraft transitioned into flight, a sudden shift in the wind direction occurred. This change caused the right wing to drop, leading to an aerodynamic stall. Following the stall, the aircraft entered a turn of approximately 230 degrees before striking the ground near the edge of the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained significant damage to the pod, keel, roll bracket, nose plate, front strut sleeve, and spats.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events surrounding the takeoff roll and the atmospheric conditions present at the airfield. The investigation focused on the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft following the reported change in wind direction.