Accident Details
On 24 March 2000 at 1345 hours UTC, a homebuilt Europa aircraft, registration G-MKPU, crashed at Upwood Airfield, Cambridgeshire. The sole occupant, the 60-year-old pilot, sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. There were no passengers.
Aircraft Information
The Europa is a two-seat composite homebuilt aircraft with a single Rotax 912 piston engine (year of manufacture 2000). It featured a retractable monowheel main gear, coupled to retractable outriggers and flaps operated by a single mechanical lever. An extended tailwheel had been fitted to improve ground directional control. Stall strips had not yet been installed. The aircraft was in the process of a certification test flying program, with one hour of flight testing completed by an approved test pilot. The Owner's Manual included cautions about high-speed taxi testing and the possibility of inadvertent takeoff.
Pilot Experience
The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence, obtained in 1998, with all flying on a Cessna 152. He had 91 total flying hours, none on type, and only 1 hour in the previous 90 days. He had been gliding for several years. The pilot intended to receive dual training once the test program was complete. It was not known if he had taxied the aircraft alone before.
Witness Observations
No direct witnesses to the accident were found. Some people in the area reported seeing an aircraft low over the airfield performing a maneuver described as a 'flat topped loop'. Another witness saw the aircraft in its crashed position around 1345 hours. Radar recordings from Debden Radar showed no returns linked to G-MKPU.
Engineering Investigation
The aircraft came to rest inverted on a crop to the left of grass Runway 23, about 700 feet from the centerline and 1000 feet from the into-wind end. No ground marks were found on the runway or leading to the wreckage. Impact evidence indicated the aircraft was banked 70-80° left with nose 40° below the horizon. Right rudder appeared to have been applied (rudder marks, turn indicator showing right turn). The Vertical Speed Indicator showed 800 ft/min descent. The aircraft was flying slowly at impact, likely near stall speed, consistent with a wing drop stall. Engine power was low; throttle valves were closed. The pilot's harness was not in use. The pitch trim system was found at or near full nose-up; the trim indicator, if unpowered, would show full nose-down. The battery master was on, but avionics master and transponder were off. The GPS was not powered. The cockpit was extensively damaged.
Discussion
The impact evidence shows the aircraft became airborne and gained sufficient altitude for a steep bank angle. The witness account of a 'flat loop' likely reflected a pitch-up followed by loss of control. Indicators suggest the flight was unintentional: the test program incomplete, the pilot untrained on type, harness not worn, and trim not set for takeoff. The manual warns that inadvertent takeoff can occur during taxi tests. The wind (200°/16 kt) and ground effect would have allowed liftoff at low groundspeed. With full nose-up trim, climbing out of ground effect would require positive nose-down input to maintain speed, which would be difficult for an inexperienced pilot. The trim position would cause rapid pitch-up after takeoff, leading to a stall. The impact severity and cockpit breakup likely made the accident unsurvivable even with harness use.