What happened
On 7 October 2023, at approximately 16:57 UTC, a Slingsby T.21B glider, registration WB 924, was performing a private flight at Dunstable Airfield, Bedfordshire. While the aircraft was on approach to land at an altitude of roughly 100 ft, the pilot and a passenger observed a small unmanned aircraft (UA) in their vicinity. Seconds later, the drone passed near the passenger's head and collided with the leading edge of the glider's left wing. The glider landed safely, and the impact resulted in superficial damage to the wing's fabric surface.
The investigation
Investigators recovered a memory card from the drone, identified as a DJI Mini 2, which contained video footage of the event. The footage confirmed that the drone was being operated from a public car park at Dunstable Downs and was intentionally flown along the glider's direct approach path. The video also showed the glider was clearly visible to the drone operator just before the collision. The drone was subsequently retrieved by two young individuals, who provided the flight logs and video evidence to a witness.
Further examination of the drone revealed it weighed 249 g and was equipped with a camera. While regulations require an Operator ID to be displayed on such devices, no ID was found on the aircraft, and no registration was reported to the AAIB. The investigation also noted that the drone operator was accompanied by two adults, but the individuals who retrieved the device were too young to legally hold an Operator ID themselves.
Findings
- The collision was caused by the drone being intentionally flown into the path of the approaching glider.
- The drone operator failed to display a required Operator ID on the aircraft.
- The individuals operating the drone were under the age required to independently obtain an Operator ID.