What happened
On 18 February 2007, a Jabiru UL-D, registration G-SUTD, was being prepared for a private flight at Wickenby Aerodrome, Lincolnshire. The pilot, who was undergoing training to gain experience on this specific aircraft type, had moved the plane out of its hangar to perform pre-flight checks while awaiting an instructor.
During the engine start sequence, the pilot attempted to start the engine three times. On the final attempt, the engine ignited and immediately reached a high power setting. This sudden surge of power caused the aircraft to accelerate rapidly toward nearby obstacles. The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft to the left using the rudder pedals to avoid a Portakabin building; while this maneuver prevented a collision with the building, the aircraft clipped the structure with its right wingtip. The aircraft then continued its path and struck a weighbridge, coming to rest against a sidewall. The impact resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond economic repair.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine start and the aircraft's movement. The pilot had recently acquired the aircraft and had only 2.5 hours of experience on this particular model. The investigation noted that the pilot had applied full choke during the starting procedure.
Regarding the aircraft's movement, the pilot could not confirm the exact position of the throttle at the moment of ignition but noted the engine appeared to be at a high power setting. Additionally, the pilot could not recall if the parking brake had been engaged, though it is believed the brake was likely not set as the aircraft had just been moved from the hangar.
Findings
- The engine ignited at a high power setting, causing rapid, unexpected acceleration.
- The pilot's inexperience on the aircraft type and general flying experience contributed to the difficulty in managing the sudden surge.
- The parking brake was likely not engaged at the time of the incident.