History of Flight
On 17 February 2001 at 1430 UTC, the pilot of an Oldfield Baby Great Lakes, registration G-BRKO, was conducting his second flight on the aircraft type. The takeoff was from grass Runway 08 at Belle Vue Airfield, North Devon, which has a length of 625 metres. Weather conditions were good with a light south-east wind. During the takeoff roll, the pilot lifted the tail off the ground and the aircraft became airborne easily. He held the aircraft level in ground effect until about halfway along the runway, then commenced a climb. At approximately 10 to 12 feet above the runway, the pilot felt a loss of power. Knowing there were obstacles ahead, he decided to land back on the runway. The touchdown was heavy and the aircraft nosed over, coming to rest inverted.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a single-engine Oldfield Baby Great Lakes, equipped with one Continental A75 piston engine, manufactured in 1975. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence, was 59 years old, and had a total flying experience of 762 hours, of which only 1 hour was on type. In the last 90 days he had flown 6 hours, and in the last 28 days, 3 hours.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot, who was wearing a full harness and flying helmet, was able to release himself and escape from the aircraft with no injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not identify a probable cause for the accident.