What happened
On 22 July 2012, a QuikR, registration G-SUKY, was conducting a training flight at Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire. The flight was being conducted by an instructor and a student pilot under favorable weather conditions, with a reported wind of 10 knots. The instructor had planned to perform an initial circuit to evaluate the suitability of the weather for the training session.
As the aircraft was in the hold-off phase immediately preceding landing, it experienced a rapid and unexpected roll to the right. The impact with the ground caused damage to the wing, propeller, engine, and the trike structure. The two crew members sustained injuries, with one serious and one minor injury recorded. Due to the position of the aircraft following the impact, the occupants could not exit the cockpit until bystanders assisted in righting the vehicle.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight circumstances and the aircraft's behavior during the approach. The instructor, who was monitoring the student's performance using the training bar controls, reported that the approach had been uneventful and that the aircraft had handled well. The instructor did not detect any developing roll through the training bar controls prior to the impact.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered a sudden gust of wind from the left during the hold-off phase.
- This wind gust caused the aircraft to roll rapidly to the right without warning.
- The instructor had noted the presence of sudden gusts of approximately 15 knots at a 90-degree angle to the runway earlier in the day.