History of Flight
The pilot planned a flight from Panshanger, Hertfordshire to Jersey with one passenger. The route was intended to go via Wycombe Air Park, Portsmouth, NEDUL, and follow Airway R41 to ORTAC, then direct to Jersey. The weather forecast was poor, with two fronts expected along the route, and the forecast for Jersey was also poor. Despite this, the pilot took off from Panshanger at 1037 hrs.
After departure, the pilot contacted Farnborough Radar and received a basic service. The controller later asked the pilot to route east of Farnborough to avoid departing traffic, and the pilot complied. At 1108 hrs, the controller suggested turning northeast to avoid the Blackbushe ATZ, but the pilot turned west instead, then east towards Farnborough. The pilot reported flying past the end of Runway 24 at 1,000 ft. At 1122 hrs, the controller suggested contacting Solent Radar, but there was no record of further contact.
At approximately 1123 hrs, the aircraft flew into low cloud covering a ridge of high ground north of Petersfield. About 10 seconds later, it struck trees just below the ridge line and broke up. The crash site was near Shoulder of Mutton Hill. The aircraft had been heading about 210°M over low ground towards Petersfield.
Witness Information
Two witnesses saw the aircraft about 10 seconds before the crash. They noted the aircraft rocked its wings but flew a substantially straight course. One witness stated the engine sounded normal. The other said the aircraft was flying around 50 metres or less above the ground and flew into fog, followed by a bang about 10 seconds later. A witness near the crash site reported showers of drizzle, cloudy conditions, and a low cloud base around 220 metres above sea level.
Recorded Data
A Garmin GPSmap296 was recovered and downloaded. The active route was from Panshanger to Jersey, with only one flight on 10 April 2009. The track started at 1027:35, takeoff at 1037:10, and ended at 1123:39. The unit recorded 30 airspace proximity alerts, most routine. Three 'Inside Airspace' alerts occurred after the aircraft left the planned route at ATC request.
The aircraft climbed to 2,000 ft after takeoff, then descended slowly to 1,000 ft. It crossed ridges at low altitudes, including 460 ft agl at 1102 hrs. Later it remained at 1,000 ft, crossing a ridge at 330 ft agl. Just after 1122 hrs, it began descending to 750 ft at 200 ft/min as the ground rose sharply. Ground speed averaged 90 kt, accelerating to 100 kt during the final descent.
Accident Site and Wreckage
The aircraft impacted trees 15 ft below the treetops and 40 ft above ground, at approximately 675 ft elevation. Debris extended 120 metres from the initial impact across the ridge. The engine and propeller were found still attached to the fuselage 60 metres downslope. The engine had been driven upward into the firewall, deforming the cabin. Examination of engine controls showed throttle, mixture, and carburettor heat in forward or cold positions; flaps retracted. Propeller cuts in branches indicated high engine power. No prior structural or mechanical failure was found.
Impact Conditions
The aircraft's path through trees was consistent with a track of approximately 200°M at a climb angle of about 5°. The pattern of tree impact damage to the wing leading edges was consistent with the aircraft's attitude.