What happened
On 15 October 2016, a Socata TBM 700N1, registration M-VNTR, was performing a private flight from the Isle of Man to Fairoaks Airport. As the aircraft approached Fairoaks, the pilot identified the airfield through low-lying mist and joined the circuit. To maintain visual contact with the landing area, the pilot flew a downwind leg that was closer to the runway than is standard.
During the turn from the downwind leg onto the final approach, the pilot attempted to correct the aircraft's position after it flew through the extended runway centerline. This maneuver required an increased angle of bank. During the latter stages of this turn, the aircraft experienced a sudden departure from controlled flight. While the occupants managed to level the aircraft's attitude, they could not stop the rapid descent. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 500 m from Runway 24, sliding for 85 m and sustaining extensive damage. The pilot sustained major injuries, while the passenger suffered minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's configuration, radar data, and witness accounts. Technical analysis of the flap system revealed that the flaps were set to the takeoff position, rather than the landing setting as the pilot had believed. Radar data from Heathrow confirmed that the aircraft's turn rate increased significantly just before the accident and that the flight path was closer to the runway than usual. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's mass was 2,706 kg and that the pilot had been flying at speeds between 80 and 90 knots.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying a downwind leg closer to the runway than normal, necessitating a steeper bank angle to complete the turn onto final approach.
- The flaps were left in the takeoff position, which increased the aircraft's stall speed compared to the landing configuration.
- The aircraft was flying at a speed that, when combined with the increased bank angle and the takeoff flap setting, placed it dangerously close to its stalling speed.
- The pilot's attempt to correct the aircraft's position relative to the centerline led to an increased angle of bank, triggering a stall.