What happened
On 4 October 2010, a Pegasus XL-Q, registration G-MTYS, was involved in an accident at the Park Farm airstrip near Newport, Wales. The pilot was conducting full-throttle taxi tests to verify engine performance in preparation for renewing the aircraft's permit to fly.
During the initial run on the north-easterly runway, the pilot used partial throttle and maintained a nose-down attitude to prevent takeoff. On the subsequent run along the south-westerly runway, the pilot applied full power. As the aircraft reached speeds of roughly 40-45 mph, it began drifting toward the left edge of the strip, which bordered a ploughed field. To prevent the aircraft from leaving the runway, the pilot pushed the control bar forward, causing the aircraft to become airborne.
After reaching a safe altitude, the pilot spent approximately ten minutes re-familiarising himself with the controls. During the subsequent approach, the wind had increased to between 7 and 12 knots. During the landing flare, the aircraft yawed to the left and struck the ground heavily on its right wheel. The impact resulted in serious injuries to the pilot and extensive damage to the wing and propeller.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the circumstances of the flight and the conditions at the Park Farm strip, which consists of a single grass runway. The investigation noted that the pilot did not hold a valid pilot's licence and had not flown since August 2000. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions during the taxi test, specifically the decision to induce takeoff to avoid the adjacent field, and the changing wind conditions during the flight.