Incident Summary
On 10 October 2023 at 1535 UTC, a Socata TB-20 Trinidad (registration N33NW) departed from an unlicensed airstrip at Langham Airfield, Norfolk. Shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft drifted left, struck trees along the southern edge of the runway, and descended steeply before impacting the ground. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot and two passengers suffered serious injuries.
Flight History
The pilot had flown from Nottingham to Langham earlier that day. He had not previously flown to Langham but had visited the airfield two weeks prior and sought advice from other pilots and the airfield tenant. The approach and landing involved a crosswind requiring a crab maneuver; after touchdown, the pilot felt a sudden leftward drag during braking. He backtracked along the runway, tested the brakes and controls, and found no anomalies. The return flight departed from Runway 28. Weather was CAVOK with wind from 230° at 12 kt. The pilot recalled reaching 73 kt before the aircraft lifted off without pitch input. An eyewitness observed the wheels leave the ground, then the aircraft "appeared to crab to the left" and later "tip to the left." Passengers reported feeling a "shunt" to the left, as if hitting something or encountering a gust. The pilot applied corrective control inputs, but the left wingtip struck several trees as the aircraft reached treetop height. The aircraft descended and came to rest on its left side. Bystanders assisted the passengers out through the broken windscreen and forced open the right door to extricate the pilot. Emergency services transported all three to hospital.
Aircraft and Site Examination
The accident site was approximately 460 m from the threshold of Runway 28. The left wing and engine had separated from the fuselage, causing a fuel leak. The tail section remained attached but severely damaged; the cabin was largely intact. Rubber tyre marks from the inbound flight were visible on the runway, beginning 240 m from the threshold and continuing for about 150 m, with a leftward deviation where a sunken, cracked area was present. Post-accident examination revealed that the main wheels turned freely and tyres showed typical wear. The parking brake was off. The underside of the tail cone exhibited abrasion damage consistent with a tailstrike on the runway, which the pilot confirmed was not present before the flight. The propeller showed signs of being under power; throttle, propeller rpm, and mixture levers were fully forward (normal takeoff settings). Flaps were at the takeoff setting of 10°. The rudder trim rotary switch was positioned slightly over halfway between the cruise (0°) and takeoff (10°) settings, but due to structural damage, the actual rudder trim tab position could not be correlated. The pitch trim cable had detached from the control wheel, likely from accident damage.
Runway and Obstacle Information
Langham is an unlicensed aerodrome with a 700 m long, 15 m wide concrete runway (Runway 10/28). The surface had potholes and cracking. The runway alignment is nearly perpendicular to the prevailing south-westerly winds. Tall trees line much of the southern side: at the runway midpoint, trees are 9–10 m tall and 3 m from the runway edge; at the threshold of Runway 28, trees exceed 20 m. When the aircraft was on the runway centerline, the distance between the left wingtip and the trees was 5.5 m. Civil Aviation Authority publication CAP 793 recommends no vertical obstacles within 25 m of the runway centerline for operations of light aircraft. Additionally, the Pooley's Flight Guide plate for Langham notes the airfield is "not suitable for inexperienced pilots due to obstructions."
The pilot held a valid Single Engine Piston rating with 121 total flying hours (27 on type), with 10 hours in the preceding 12 months and 3 hours in the last 90 days.