What happened
On 9 September 2001, a Reims Cessna FRA150L, registration G-BAII, was conducting a local pleasure flight departing from Bodmin airfield. The pilot had completed all necessary pre-flight inspections, confirming sufficient engine oil and approximately half-full fuel tanks.
During the long final approach to Runway 32, roughly 45 minutes into the flight, the engine began to misfire. The pilot attempted to use carburettor heat, but this provided no relief. Despite fuel gauges, engine temperatures, and pressures appearing normal, and both magnetos being set to the ON position, the engine continued to malfunction. As the aircraft approached within four miles of the airfield, the misfiring persisted, prompting the pilot to declare a Mayday and identify a potential landing site.
Due to the aircraft's altitude of 1,500 feet (Bodmin QFE) and the wind conditions of 330°/15 to 20 kt, the pilot determined the initial chosen field was unreachable. Consequently, a closer field was selected. The pilot approached this new site at full power, but the engine remained unreliable. The aircraft cleared the perimeter trees and hedges before touching down on the crest of a rise. The aircraft then descended a steep slope, where the damp grass rendered the wheel brakes largely ineffective, eventually coming to a halt against a large hedge.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the accident report submitted by the pilot. The examiner noted that the pilot had successfully identified the only viable landing area given the surrounding steep, wooded valleys. Following the incident, the aircraft was recovered several days later. Investigators were unable to identify any specific mechanical cause for the engine's intermittent misfiring.