Accident
On 29 May 2022 at 1315 UTC, a Tecnam P92-EM Echo, registration G-WHEN, was involved in an accident approximately 2.5 miles west of City Airport (Manchester Barton). The aircraft had taken off uneventfully from Runway 26L. At around 750 ft above ground level and about two miles from the airport, the engine lost power. The engine did not respond to the pilot's throttle commands and its speed dropped to idle. The pilot checked that both fuel tanks were selected, and that the carburettor heat, fuel pump, and both magnetos were set to on. He selected a field for a forced landing, but the aircraft flipped over when the nosewheel contacted soft ground.
Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft, a Tecnam P92-EM Echo, was manufactured in 2004 (serial number PFA 318-13679) and powered by a single Jabiru 2200A piston engine. The private flight carried one pilot and one passenger. The pilot, aged 65, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 1,509 flying hours, of which 16 were on type. His flying experience in the last 90 days was 6 hours, and in the last 28 days, 1 hour.
Investigation
After the accident, the engine was run satisfactorily on a test bench, and the cause of the power loss could not be determined. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot suffered serious injuries, while the passenger sustained minor injuries.