Accident Overview
On 2 June 2014, at 1324 UTC, a Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub (registration G-OOMF) was conducting a training flight near Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, Warwickshire. The aircraft, manufactured in 1968 and powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2B piston engine, had two crew on board (an instructor and a student) and no passengers. Both occupants were uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, wing struts, wings, tail plane, and canopy.
Flight History
The student was on his second flight of a tailwheel differences training course. After completing three successful circuits, the aircraft was on the base leg of the fourth circuit when engine rpm rapidly reduced. The instructor took control and, suspecting fuel starvation, told the student to turn on the fuel. The student confirmed the fuel was selected on. The instructor found that some engine power could be obtained by moving the throttle between idle and fully forward.
Unable to reach the airfield, the instructor made a MAYDAY call and positioned the aircraft for a landing in the only suitable field, which contained a standing crop. During the landing roll, the crop became entangled in the main landing gear, causing the aircraft to turn upside down. The instructor and student vacated the aircraft before the airfield emergency vehicle arrived.
Post-Accident Findings
Following the accident, the mixture control was found in the fully lean position. The student had over 350 flying hours and normally flew a Robin DR400, which has a carburettor heat control that operates similarly to the mixture control on the Piper Super Cub. The instructor and student believed that the student inadvertently operated the mixture control instead of the carburettor heat when reducing power on the base leg.