What happened
On 21 September 2014, a Rans S6-ESD Xl (registration G-MZIY) was conducting a training flight near Derby, Derbyshire. The flight was a dual session intended to provide conversion training for the aircraft owner, who was transitioning from flex-wing microlights to fixed-weight microlights.
During the flight, the student pilot began to feel unwell and agitated, prompting the instructor to take control of the aircraft and initiate a return to the airfield. While performing a landing approach, the aircraft bounced on the grass airstrip. The instructor decided to abort the landing and execute a go-around. During this maneuver, the student pilot, who was bracing himself, inadvertently applied right rudder pedal. This input caused the aircraft to yaw right and the right wing to drop, leading to a steep nose-down impact with the ground to the right of the runway. The aircraft sustained severe damage to the engine compartment, forward fuselage, and main flying surfaces. The crew escaped with one minor injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight history and the physical actions of the crew during the critical moments of the go-around. The instructor noted that the student pilot's sudden rudder input was uncounterable. The investigation also looked into the physiological state of the student pilot, who reported experiencing a sensation similar to a panic attack, possibly triggered by the unfamiliar sensations of operating the new aircraft type.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control was the inadvertent application of right rudder pedal by the student pilot during the go-around.
- The student pilot may have instinctively reverted to techniques used in flex-wing microlights, where throttle is managed via the right foot.
- The student pilot's sudden physical distress may have been caused by hyperventilation, a common occurrence in student pilots experiencing anxiety, which can create a cycle of worsening symptoms.
- The aircraft's impact was characterized by a steep nose-down attitude following the uncontrolled yaw.