What happened
On 21 June 2005, a Maule MX-7-180, registration G-RAZZ, was preparing for departure from the grass runway 33 at Plaistow Microlight Field in Hertfordshire. The weather conditions were dry, with an outside air temperature of 25ºC and an estimated 10-knot headwind.
As the aircraft accelerated down the 357-metre runway, it failed to gain enough altitude to clear a hedge located at the end of the departure strip. The landing gear made contact with the top of the hedge, which caused the aircraft to come to rest upright in a standing crop on the opposite side of a road. There were no injuries to the pilot or the two passengers on board, though the aircraft sustained damage beyond economic repair and some damage was caused to the crops.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examiner reviewed the pilot's experience, noting that the commander held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had 1,052 total flying hours, with 42 hours specifically on this aircraft type. The investigation looked into the environmental conditions and the pilot's assessment of the takeoff performance.
Findings
- The pilot provided an incorrect estimate of the wind strength and the gradient of the runway slope.
- The aircraft was unable to achieve the necessary height to clear the obstacle at the end of the runway due to these miscalculations.