What happened
On 8 December 2012, a CFM Metal-Fax Shadow Series CD, registration G-MWRY, was performing a private flight from a grass airstrip at Tinnel Farm, Landulph, Cornwall. During the takeoff roll on the approximately 300-metre north-east/south-west runway, the nosewheel lifted; however, the pilot noted a change in the engine's sound and the nosewheel subsequently descended.
As the aircraft approached the end of the runway, the pilot realized that the remaining distance was insufficient to stop, especially given the 1.5-degree downslope and the wet condition of the grass. Fearing a feet-first impact with the perimeter obstacles, the pilot maintained full throttle to pull the nose up. The aircraft struck a fence and hedge while in a nose-high attitude. While the pilot's feet cleared the hedge, the underside of the aircraft and the seat struck the obstacles. The pilot sustained one serious injury, specifically a compression fracture of the twelfth thoracic vertebra.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's performance and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The aircraft, a 1991 model powered by a Rotax 503-2V engine, suffered extensive damage to the engine, propeller, wing, landing gear, and fuselage. Investigators looked into the runway surface, noting it was soft and wet. The pilot's post-accident analysis suggested that the combination of a light headwind, a forward center of gravity, and the soft ground contributed to the loss of performance.
Findings
- The aircraft struck the fence and hedge while still on the ground.
- The reduction in takeoff performance was caused by a combination of a light headwind, soft ground, and a forward center of gravity.
- The pilot's decision to maintain power to avoid a feet-first impact resulted in the aircraft's underside striking the hedge.