What happened
On 2 January 2000, an Agusta 109 A MK II, registration D-HCKV, was conducting a private VFR flight from Blackpool toward a hotel landing site near Newby Bridge, Cumbria. The flight was intended to follow a river upstream into a valley. While flying at approximately 500 feet, the pilot encountered light drizzle and deteriorating visibility, which created a "goldfish bowl" effect, obscende the horizon due to the overcast conditions.
As the pilot initiated a right turn to return toward the more visible flood plains, the aircraft entered a patch of hill fog. This sudden loss of visual references caused the pilot to strike a line of trees at approximately 50 yards distance. The impact resulted in no fatalities and no injuries for the one crew member and five passengers, but the aircraft suffered severe damage. The main rotor blades lost portions of their tips, the tail rotor blades were damaged, and the tail fin and right-side stabilizer were significantly impacted.
Following the collision, the pilot managed to climb through the cloud, though the aircraft experienced extreme vibrations. To maintain control and avoid further structural failure, the pilot transitioned to a flight configuration that minimized torque. The aircraft eventually reached Cark Airfield, where the pilot performed a controlled landing on the runway.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight path and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. It was established that the pilot was attempting to avoid deteriorating weather by turning toward the estuary. The investigation focused on the transition from visual flight to instrument conditions and the visibility of the terrain during the turn.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the inadvertent entry into cloud at low level, which prevented the pilot from seeing the trees in time to take evasive action.
- The presence of hill fog on the windward slope of the ridge, likely caused by orographic lifting of moist air, obscured the trees.
- The "goldfish bowl" visual condition, characterized by a lack of a visible horizon, contributed to the pilot's difficulty in maintaining spatial orientation during the turn.