What happened
On August 29, 2020, at 13:23 UTC, a Tipsy Nipper T-66 MK2 departed from runway 27 at the Hasselt/Kiewit aerodrome (EBZH) for a planned cross-country flight. The mission involved performing a flyby at the nearby Zwartberg aerodrome (EBZW) alongside another aircraft.
During the initial climb, once the aircraft had passed the runway threshold at an altitude of approximately 30 and 400 feet AGL, the plane began a steep descent and executed a sharp left-hand turn. The aircraft subsequently struck the roof of a residence, crashed into a garden, and came to a stop near a greenhouse. The impact resulted in 1 fatal injury, as the pilot did not survive the accident. The wreckage was found roughly 230 meters southwest of the runway end, with the nose pointing east, contrary to the takeoff direction.
The investigation
Investigators from the AAIU(Be) examined the wreckage and interviewed witnesses at the scene. The aircraft was later moved to a secure Belgian Federal Police facility in Linter for a more thorough technical analysis.
Initial inspections of the debris revealed that a sparkplug had been dislodged from its cylinder head. The investigation also noted that the aircraft, originally manufactured in 1959, had a history of several previous accidents and had undergone various significant modifications, including updates to the ignition system, instrumentation, and the installation of a different engine type.