What happened
On 9 July 1998, a Cyclone AX3K/582 was performing a private flight at Popham Airfield, Hampshire. The pilot was executing a glide approach toward Runway 26, facing a surface wind of approximately 10 to 12 knots blowing down the runway. At the time of the incident, the pilot was operating from the right-hand seat, marking only his second time flying in this position.
While attempting to deliberately sideslip the aircraft, the right wing dropped, causing the aircraft to enter an uncontrollable right-hand turn. Although the pilot managed to regain partial control as the aircraft neared the ground, he could not stop the descent. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground in a nose-down attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the nose area and the wing strut. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of control during the approach. It was established that the pilot was flying from the right-hand seat, which provided an unusual perspective compared to his standard operating position. The investigation looked into the aircraft's flight path and the pilot's management of airspeed during the sideslip manoeuvre.