What happened
On 6 July 2013, a Pioneer 300 Hawk, registration G-OHJE, was performing a takeoff from a private airstrip in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. The flight was part of a procedure to renew the aircraft's Permit-to-Fly, which required the pilot to test performance at a specific weight. To prepare, the aircraft had been refueled and loaded with 20 kg of ballast, bringing it to 70% of its maximum gross weight.
The pilot chose to use a westerly runway direction to take advantage of an 8 kt prevailing wind. This specific runway featured an upslope for the first 330 m of its 470 m total length. After completing necessary pre-flight checks, the pilot began the takeoff roll. As the aircraft reached the crest of the slope, it briefly became airborne but subsequently descended. Believing there was sufficient level ground remaining to clear an 8 ft wire netting fence at the end of the runway, the pilot continued the takeoff. However, the aircraft struck the fence at a height of approximately 6 ft. The impact caused the netting to wrap around the propeller and brought the aircraft to a stop roughly 100 m beyond the fence, with the nose landing gear having collapsed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's configuration and the runway conditions. It was established that the aircraft was operating at a significant portion of its maximum gross weight. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's decision-making regarding the use of the upslope runway and the impact of environmental factors, such as potential downdrafts from nearby trees, on the aircraft's climb rate.