What happened
On 4 March 1999, an Evans VP-1 Series 2, registration G-BAJC, was conducting a private flight from a farm strip at Romney Street to Shenington. During the initial leg of the journey, the engine began running roughly, prompting the pilot to divert to the disused airfield at Bovingdon, Hertfordshire. Before the aircraft could land, the engine suffered a complete loss of power and stopped. The pilot successfully performed a forced landing at the airfield.
Following the first incident, the pilot inspected the carburettor and identified the presence of ice. After allowing roughly one hour for the induction system to clear, the engine was restarted and passed subsequent power checks. Believing the issue resolved, the pilot attempted to continue the flight. However, shortly after takeoff, the engine again began to run unevenly. This led to a second forced landing on a different section of the Bovingden airfield.
While the second touchdown was successful, the aircraft veered sharply to the left upon application of the brakes. The pilot was unable to counteract this swing using the rudder, causing the aircraft to move onto soft ground. This excursion resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear and the propeller striking the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events regarding the engine's performance and the subsequent ground excursion. The pilot's inspection of the carburettor after the first engine failure was a key element in determining the nature of the power loss.