What happened
On 25 August 2002, a pilot was conducting a private cross-country flight in a Rans S6-ESD Coyote II, registration G-MYJL. The flight was part of a three-aircraft formation traveling from Hardwicke, Hay-on-Wye, toward Caernarfon. The intended route was designed to bypass the region's highest peaks by heading west toward the coast before turning north.
During the flight, the group encountered a lowering cloud base and diminishing visibility. The formation decided to abandon the original destination and divert toward Sleap Airfield. While en route to the diversion point, the pilot of G-MayJL observed the weather worsening but chose to proceed rather than return to the departure point. Shortly thereafter, the pilot lost sight of the rising terrain ahead and entered cloud cover.
Lacking experience in instrument flight and operating an aircraft without an attitude indicator or turn coordinator, the pilot became disoriented almost immediately. The aircraft struck high ground at Devils Chair, Stiperstones. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft and one serious injury to the pilot. Following the crash, the pilot managed to exit the wreckage and used a mobile phone and GPS to coordinate a rescue by helicopter.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had checked weather forecasts prior to departure, which had indicated overcast conditions with light winds. The pilot had also pre-programmed a diversion airfield into the onboard GPS.
Investigators found that the aircraft was not equipped with essential flight instruments, such as a turn and slip indicator or an attitude indicator, which are critical for maintaining orientation in low visibility. The pilot's lack of experience flying in cloud conditions contributed to the rapid loss of control once visual contact with the ground was lost. Additionally, the rescue effort was initially complicated by a discrepancy between the pilot's aeronautical chart references and the emergency operator's use of Ordnance Survey maps, though the pilot eventually provided precise coordinates via GPS.