What happened
On 25 August 2007, a Rans S6-ES Coyote II, registration G-CDGH, was involved in a ground collision during a private flight near Hereford. The aircraft, owned by a syndicate, was being used for a familiarisation flight for a new member. The flight began with a departure from Long Marston, near Stratford-upon-Avon, and a landing at Broadmeanders Farm.
During the return leg of the flight, the new syndicate member took the controls in the left seat. As the aircraft accelerated, the nosewheel lifted at roughly 35 mph. The aircraft became airborne at approximately 45 mph but immediately began drifting toward the left side of the runway. Despite attempts to increase airspeed by moving the stick forward, the aircraft veered sharply left, striking two parked, unattended flex-wing microlight aircraft. The collision resulted in substantial damage to all three aircraft, including a broken propeller, damaged wings, and cracked fibreglass cowling on the G-CDGH, but there were no injuries to the two crew members.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight conditions and the pilot's experience. The pilot in the right seat noted that the aircraft had a tendency to swing left, a characteristic different from the Rotax 582 powered aircraft the pilot had previously operated, as the propeller on the Rans S6-ES Coyote II rotates in the opposite direction.
At the time of the accident, the runway had a slight downhill gradient with a 10 mph wind from approximately 300 degrees, creating a small crosswind from the right. The investigation focused on the interaction between the aircraft's speed, the engine torque, and the wind conditions during the takeoff roll.