What happened
On 8 September 2001, a Rebel, registration G-BWFZ, was conducting a private general handling flight from St Michael's Airstrip. The pilot, who had not flown for four weeks, had prepared for the flight by self-briefing. During the flight, the pilot intended to perform a practice approach and go-around near Pilling Sands, despite local regulations prohibiting such maneuvers at the airstrip.
While descending from 1,500 feet, the pilot engaged the carburettor heat and reduced engine power. After applying bursts of power at 1,000 and 500 feet, the pilot deselected the carburettor heat and applied full power to prepare for touchdown on a beach. During the subsequent climb, at approximately 250 feet, the engine ceased operation. The pilot attempted to restart the engine by reselecting carburettor heat and pumping the throttle, which briefly restored power before the engine failed again.
To avoid landing on wet sand, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft to the left. Due to a line of trees preventing a landing into the wind, the pilot performed a downwind landing in a small field. The aircraft struck a ditch at the edge of the field, resulting in the collapse of the main landing gear, damage to the wing struts, a bent propeller, and damage to the windscreen and fuselage floor. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators confirmed that fuel was available on board and found no evidence of mechanical failure. The pilot noted that the weather conditions, including a temperature of 15°C and a dew point of 8°C, presented a risk of carburettor icing.