What happened
On 12 December 2009, an Aeroprakt A22-L Foxbat, registration G-NJTC, was performing a private flight from Glassonby Airfield in Cumbria. Shortly after the aircraft entered Runway 36, it began to veer toward the left. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying full right rudder; however, this input was insufficient to maintain the centerline.
At an altitude of roughly 6 feet above the ground, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. During the maneuver, the aircraft touched down on the side of the runway. The impact resulted in damage to the engine, the nose gear, and the propeller. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft underwent a technical inspection by an experienced engineer. The examination of the Aeroprakt A22-L Foxbat revealed no mechanical defects that could be identified as contributing factors to the loss of directional control.