Incident
On 17 December 2000 at 1220 UTC, a Champion 7GCBC single-engine aircraft, registered G-BAYZ, was involved in an accident at Manor Farm, Compton, Wiltshire. The pilot, the sole occupant, had taken off from the same farm strip with the intention of landing at Old Sarum. Weather conditions were misty with 3 km visibility, patchy cloud at 1,000 feet, and calm wind. En route, the pilot found the weather unsuitable and decided to return to Manor Farm.
Upon arrival, the pilot conducted practice glide approaches to Runway 09. The third approach was judged too high for a safe landing, prompting a go-around. Full power was applied and flaps retracted to 14°. Initially, engine power seemed normal, but after a few seconds, power was lost and the pilot could not maintain height. The aircraft clipped a hedge at the end of the strip, passed over a silage clamp in the farmyard, and struck the top of a parked tractor. The aircraft flipped over and came to rest inverted alongside a slurry pit.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Champion 7GCBC manufactured in 1973, was powered by a single Lycoming O-320-A2B piston engine. The pilot, aged 55, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had 338 hours of total flying experience, with 92 hours on type. His recent flying included 8 hours in the last 90 days and 3 hours in the last 28 days.
Aftermath
The pilot, wearing a full harness, sustained only minor injuries and exited the aircraft through the door. The accident caused damage to the fuselage, wings, propeller, and engine shock loading. In a frank report, the pilot considered that the likely cause of the power loss was carburettor icing.