What happened
On 30 October 2013, a Mainair Rapier, registration G-CCHV, was involved in a ground accident at Sywell Airfield, Northamptonshire. The aircraft, which is powered by a single Rotax 503-2V piston engine, was being operated on a private flight.
While the pilot was taxiing toward Runway 21 to prepare for departure, they lifted the wing to perform a visual check for approaching traffic. During this maneuver, an unexpected gust of wind caught the wing, causing the aircraft to tip onto its side. The incident resulted in a bent wing pivot bracket. There were no injuries to the pilot during the event.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the meteorological conditions at the time of the occurrence. Records from the control tower indicated that the wind was originating from the south/southwest at speeds between 5 and 10 knots, with gusts reaching 15 knots. The investigation focused on the sequence of the pilot's actions and the impact of the wind gust on the aircraft's stability during the wing-lift maneuver.