What happened
On 2 October 2020, a Skyranger Swift 912S, registration G-CFIA, was performing a private flight from Baxby Airfield to Beverley Airfield. The weather conditions were clear with calm winds, and the aircraft was using the grass runway 05. Following a routine taxi and engine start, the pilot applied full power for takeoff. As the aircraft reached a speed of 40 kt, the pilot rotated the aircraft, but it immediately adopted an excessively high nose-up attitude.
In an effort to prevent the climb from continuing, the pilot reduced throttle and applied forward pitch control to attempt a landing back on the runway. However, this maneuver resulted in the aircraft stalling and dropping its right wing. The aircraft entered a descending right-hand turn and struck the ground in a nose-down attitude. The impact caused significant airframe damage and resulted in one serious injury to the pilot. The pilot was able to exit the wreckage and contact emergency services before being transported to the hospital via air ambulance.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence and the cockpit configuration prior to departure. It was established that the pilot had been managing a high workload and significant daily tasks, which may have influenced the pre-flight preparations. The investigation focused on the aircraft's pitch behavior during the rotation phase and the subsequent aerodynamic response to the pilot's corrective actions.