History of the Flight
The pilot, a qualified instructor holding a Commercial Pilot's Licence and an endorsement to instruct on microlight aeroplanes, was conducting a private flight to familiarise a passenger with the aircraft type. The pilot occupied the right seat so that the passenger could better see the instruments from the left. The aircraft was registered on a Permit to Fly issued through the Popular Flying Association.
The pilot positioned the aircraft for takeoff close to the beginning of Runway 04 to carry out power and pre-takeoff checks. The windsock indicated a slight tailwind component; Southampton ATC reported wind from 300° at 8 kt. The takeoff direction was slightly uphill due to noise restrictions, but the pilot was not unduly concerned. The passenger was briefed about the short takeoff run and expected a high-nose attitude during climb out.
During the takeoff run, the pilot held the control stick just aft of neutral, checked the airspeed indicator, and waited for cues that the aircraft was ready to 'unstick'. The nosewheel lifted off, the pilot rotated, and the aircraft became airborne. The takeoff run had appeared normal, but once airborne, the aircraft did not appear to climb. While the pilot considered options, the left wing dropped at about 20 to 30 feet agl. Normal recovery actions were taken but insufficient height prevented success. The aircraft struck the ground in a left wing low/nose-down attitude, cartwheeling through about 270°, detaching the engine/nose gear assembly. Both occupants evacuated using the aircraft door; the passenger suffered a minor injury. The pilot briefly returned to switch off the magnetos. The aircraft came to rest upright, slightly less than halfway along the 648-metre grass runway.
Damage
The engine, propeller, and nose landing gear detached; damage also occurred to the left wing tip.
Pilot Information
The pilot was 38 years old with 588 hours total flying experience, including 8 hours on type. In the last 90 days, 34 hours were flown; in the last 28 days, 19 hours.
Discussion
In a detailed account, the pilot cited possible influencing events: a momentary increase in wind (a report a few hours earlier had gusts up to 23 kt), the upslope giving an illusion of not climbing normally and possibly insufficient height for stall recovery, a subtle loss of power during takeoff (though engine rpm was normal during pre-takeoff checks), the aircraft being some 8 kg above maximum takeoff weight (though the pilot believed basic weight might be 18 kg less than shown), and correct setting of pitch trim.