What happened
On 16 May 1998, an Avid Hauler Mk 4, registration G-BWCI, was conducting a training flight near Fenland Airfield in Lincolnshire. The flight involved a pilot with 47 hours of experience being checked out on the aircraft type by an instructor. While the aircraft was on the downwind leg of the circuit at approximately 1,000 feet, the engine ceased operation abruptly.
Upon the loss of power, the instructor took control of the aircraft and directed the trainee to broadcast a 'Mayday' distress call. The crew successfully turned the aircraft into the wind and executed a forced landing into a field containing sugar beet. The impact caused substantial damage to the aircraft, which came to rest in an inverted position. Both crew members were able to exit through the doors and escaped without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft following the accident and noted that the engine could be rotated manually, though the impact had caused enough damage to prevent it from being operated. Following the landing, the aircraft remained upside down for a period. During this time, neither the crew nor the responding fire service personnel noticed any fuel leaking from the airframe. Once the aircraft was righted, it was discovered that the fuel tanks were completely empty.