What happened
On 21 April 2009, a BFC Challenger II microlight, registration G-CAMR, was conducting a private flight from a landing strip near Bournemouth to Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire. The flight was operated by a pilot accompanied by a passenger. During the approach to the airfield, the aircraft was performing a series of circuits.
As the aircraft descended to approximately 20 feet above the ground, the pilot attempted to flare for landing. However, instead of applying the necessary backward pressure to the control column, the pilot pushed the column forward. This incorrect input resulted in a heavy landing that caused the nose and the right landing gear to detach from the airframe. The impact also caused the pusher propeller to strike the rear fuselage. The aircraft sustained badly damaged status following the event. The pilot sustained a cracked rib and bruising, while the passenger suffered a broken vertebra and required a four-length hospital stay.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the pilot's flying history and training records. It was established that while the pilot held a valid Private Pilot’s Licence with a Microlight class rating, his recent experience was primarily in weight-shift (flexwing) aircraft. The investigation found that the pilot had not received instruction on three-axis control systems since 1992. Furthermore, the pilot was unaware of recent amendments to the Air Navigation Order, which now require specific difference training when transitioning between weight-shift and three-axis control systems.
Findings
- The pilot applied incorrect control input during the flare, pushing the control column forward instead of pulling back.
- The pilot's recent flying experience was almost exclusively on weight-shift aircraft, leading to a reversion to familiar but inappropriate control movements during a critical phase of flight.
- A lack of recent instruction on three-axis control systems contributed to the error.
- The pilot was unaware of the regulatory requirement for formal difference training between weight-shift and three-axis microlight control systems.