What happened
On 17 October 2008, a Cyclone AX3/503, registration G-MYFZ, was conducting a private flight at Chilbolton Airfield in Hampshire. During the flight, the pilot attempted to perform a simulated engine failure at an altitude of approximately 100 feet.
As the pilot executed the maneuver, the aircraft's climb-out became excessively steep. Because the engine was simulated to have failed, the airspeed decreased rapidly, causing the aircraft to stall at a low altitude. The aircraft subsequently descended and struck the runway with significant force, impacting nosewheel first. The impact resulted in minor injuries to both the pilot and the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination focused on the flight profile during the simulated failure and the subsequent loss of airspeed. The physical damage to the aircraft included significant impact to the nosewheel, the main landing gear, the nose pod, the propeller, and the main beam.