History of the Flight
The pilot prepared for a solo private flight from Manchester Barton to Shacklewell Lodge, a small private airstrip near RAF Cottesmore. Three shotguns in cases were placed in the rear of the aircraft; no ammunition was loaded. Before departure, the pilot started the engine and taxied to the holding point, where the aircraft stopped and the engine was shut down. The pilot walked back to the hangars and informed the club's Chief Flying Instructor that the electronic flight display had been left on prior to flight, that he had shut down to resolve a 'voltage problem', and that the engine would not restart. After assistance from an engineer, the engine was restarted. The aircraft took off at 0842 hrs. The pilot transmitted to the aerodrome flight information service officer that he was changing frequency to Manchester Approach, but no transmission was made on that frequency.
Later, a family member expecting to meet the pilot at Shacklewell Lodge expressed concern when the aircraft did not arrive. Overdue action was taken, and Search and Rescue operations began. At about 1530 hrs, two farmers found the wreckage on Saddleworth Moor, at an elevation of approximately 1,540 ft amsl.
Accident Site and Wreckage
The aircraft struck the ground close to the A635 on Saddleworth Moor, suffering significant disruption. The wreckage trail extended for 155 metres. The first ground mark was made by the right wing tip, indicating a bank of 45° to 55° to the right at impact. Beyond this mark, a shallow crater was formed, with transverse slash marks characteristic of a rotating propeller. The wreckage trail continued for about 150 metres beyond the crater on a bearing of 084°. Both wing fuel tanks were disrupted, with strong fuel odour and grass discolouration. The engine, mounting structure, and propeller were located 1.5 metres under the surface at the main impact point, with the surrounding peat heavily fuel-contaminated. One propeller blade remained attached to the hub; the other two were recovered separately, one showing damage consistent with striking an object while rotating. Three shotguns were recovered from the wreckage by the police.
Aircraft Information
The P&M Aviation/Flight Design CTSW is a two-seat, high-wing three-axis microlight powered by a Rotax 912 UL engine, with a cruising speed of 120 kt. The fuselage is carbon fibre/foam sandwich monocoque construction without substantial bulkheads or frames. The manufacturer's manual states a maximum baggage weight of 25 kg, to be stowed in the rear fuselage and secured under two bungee nets. The aircraft was fitted with basic VFR instrumentation, much integrated into an electronic multi-function display showing airspeed, propeller rpm, and altitude. It had a magnetic compass but no artificial horizon or direction indicator. A GPS fitted was capable of displaying a synthesised panel of flight instruments (though not an artificial horizon); the club CFI believed the pilot was unaware of this feature. The aircraft was also equipped with an altitude-encoding transponder, often left switched off during flight.
Recorded Data
A hand-held GPS receiver powered throughout the flight recorded time, position, and GPS altitude. The third of three flights in its memory was the accident flight. On the accident day, power was applied at 07:46:54 hrs. After taxiing and a stop, the aircraft began its takeoff run at 08:42:40 hrs. After takeoff, it climbed to about 1,000 ft, turned right onto a true heading of approximately 050°, and tracked north of Manchester. At 08:52 hrs, north-east of Manchester, G-CFAZ began to climb from about 1,500 ft GPS altitude, reaching a maximum of 3,366 ft at 08:54:50 hrs. Thereafter, recorded positions indicate a turn to the left followed by a descent, with an average rate of 2,800 ft/min between maximum altitude and the final recorded position. The final GPS position at 08:55:18 hrs was at 2,043 ft GPS altitude and heading 013°T, 129 metres from the initial ground impact mark. Terrain elevation at impact was estimated at 1,541 ft.
The Multi-Function Display sustained significant damage; its volatile memory data was lost due to insufficient battery charge. Radar data was provided by NATS, with Manchester Approach radar providing the most complete track.
Meteorological Conditions
An unofficial weather observation at Barton at 0826 hrs recorded surface wind 230/10 kt, visibility 10 km or more with showers in the vicinity, and one or two octas of cloud at 2,300 ft above the aerodrome.
Probable Cause
The aircraft descended rapidly and crashed, probably as a result of a loss of control following an inadvertent entry into cloud.