What happened
On 16 March 2018, a Whittaker MW6-S Fatboy Flyer, registration G-MYPP, was conducting a private flight near Lenham Airstrip in Kent. While flying at an altitude of roughly 80 ft agl and a speed of 48 KIAS, the engine power unexpectedly dropped to idle and could not be recovered by the pilot.
In response to the power loss, the pilot lowered the aircraft's nose to maintain a speed of approximately 50 KIAS and directed the aircraft toward a pre-identified emergency landing field. However, before reaching the intended area, the aircraft struck a line of trees and bushes measuring approximately 20 ft in height. The aircraft then came to rest in a lower boundary hedge. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board, both of whom were wearing full seat harnesses and protective helmets.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The aircraft sustained damage to the windshield, fuselage pod, fuselage tube, both wing struts, and one wing spar.
Following the event, the pilot inspected the engine controls and identified that a nipple on the throttle cable had become detached. This mechanical failure caused the engine to automatically throttle back to idle. The pilot noted that the aircraft is a low inertia microlight with a limited glide ratio, and estimated that only 10 seconds elapsed between the loss of power and the impact.