What happened
On 1 June 2007, a Europa aircraft, registration G-HOFC, was conducting a private flight near Magor, Gwent. The pilot and a passenger were returning to Uckfield Farm following an annual permit inspection at Bodmin Airfield. At approximately 1445 hrs, the aircraft was observed by witnesses flying at roughly 500 ft in a wings-level attitude. During the flight, witnesses noted the tail moving rapidly and observed debris, including papers and loose articles, falling from the aircraft. The aircraft then underwent a catastrophic breakup, with the wings and horizontal tailplanes detaching. The fuselage impacted a grass field with a steep, nose-down attitude, resulting in two fatalities.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation focused on the distribution of wreckage and the integrity of the aircraft' and structural components. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft had suffered a catastrophic in-flight structural failure. While the left wing and tailplane remained relatively intact, the right wing had suffered severe damage, including the loss of approximately 35% of its foam infill. The right wing spar had failed at the point where it entered the fuselage due to torsional overload.
Investigators also examined the tailplane system, finding that the outboard sleeves had failed in their bonding, which allowed the tailplanes to move outboard and disengage the drive pins. Furthermore, the investigation scrutinized the construction of the right wing drag pin mounting. It was discovered that the laminated plates in this mount had become staggered during the manufacturing process, creating incomplete holes that compromised the structure's ability to carry loads.
Findings
- The primary cause of the in-flight breakup was a structural failure of the right wing drag pin mounting.
- The manufacturing of the right wing drag pin mount was flawed; the misalignment of the laminated plates during the layup process resulted in distorted, incomplete holes, which weakened the mounting.
- The failure of the drag pin mounting allowed the rear portion of the wing to become unrestrained, leading to increased aerodynamic forces and subsequent failure of the right wing spar.
- The resulting structural instability and subsequent forces caused the tailplane retention system to fail, leading to the loss of control of the tailplanes.
- The pilot may have moved the flap/landing gear selector to the 'DOWN' position, which would have introduced significant aerodynamic loads contributing to the initial failure.