What happened
On 23 March 2003, a Rans S6-ESD XL Coyote II, registration G-MZLG, was performing a private flight at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester. During the takeoff roll on Runway 09 north, the pilot applied full throttle and confirmed that the engine was producing the required power. As the aircraft gained speed, the pilot raised the nose to off-load the nose wheel, and the aircraft became airborne.
At an altitude of approximately 20 feet, the pilot noticed the aircraft was failing to climb as anticipated. In an attempt to compensate, the pilot increased the pitch of the aircraft. This action caused the airspeed to drop to a critically low level, leading to a wing drop on the left side. Recognizing the danger, the pilot decided to abort the climb and returned the aircraft to the ground.
The aircraft came to rest in rough grass north of the runway, near the intersection with Runway 02/20. The pilot attempted to taxi toward Runway 02/20 to find more stopping distance and to move away from nearby built-up areas. However, due to the difficulty in controlling the aircraft, the pilot struggled to operate the left-side brake lever. Realizing the aircraft was running out of space, the pilot steered toward the aerodrome perimeter hedge to force a stop. After closing the throttle and cutting the magnetos, the aircraft struck the hedge at a 45-degree angle with the right wing strut, causing the aircraft to spin and the left engine cowling to strike the vegetation. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances of the takeoff and the subsequent maneuvers. The investigation noted that the pilot was managing the aircraft with difficulty, specifically noting the reliance on the left hand to maintain control, which hindered the use of the braking system. The weather conditions were recorded as having a light, variable wind of 5 knots and an outside air temperature of +14°C.