What happened
On 17 February 2018, a Pegasus Quik GT450, registration G-PUGZ, was performing a private flight at Little Gransden Airfield in Cambridgeshire. The pilot, an experienced instructor, was attempting to land on the 810 m grass runway using Runway 28. To avoid potential rotor effects caused by nearby trees and buildings, the pilot targeted a landing point one third along the runway length.
As the aircraft reached a height of roughly 3 ft during the round-out phase, it encountered a sudden, strong downdraught. This atmospheric disturbance prevented the pilot from executing a go-around, resulting in the nose of the aircraft striking the ground. The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse. Simultaneously, damage to the foot throttle mechanism caused the engine to run at maximum speed.
As the aircraft skidded across the surface, the pilot attempted to deactivate the magneto switches with one hand while maintaining control with the other. Due to the bumpy nature of the ground contact and the use of gloves, this process was delayed. Consequently, the pilot could not prevent the wing from making contact with the ground. The aircraft eventually exited the northern edge of the runway, where the nose cone became embedded in soft mud, briefly lifting the main wheels before the aircraft settled upright. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the sequence of events following the submission of an accident report by the pilot. The investigation focused on the impact mechanics, the functionality of the engine controls following the nose gear collapse, and the pilot's actions during the excursion. Investigators identified that the engine's sudden increase to maximum speed was a direct result of damage to the foot throttle mechanism during the initial impact.