What happened
On 21 March 2011, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-BJKY, was conducting a dual night cross-country navigation training flight. The flight originated from Blackpool Airport, with the student pilot working towards a PPL night qualification. After completing several planned legs, the instructor directed the student to perform a practice diversion toward Kirkby Lonsdale.
During this diversion, the aircraft drifted significantly from its intended track. The instructor, attempting to improve ground visibility, requested a descent to 2,000 ft amsl. During this phase of the flight, the aircraft struck rising ground near Ingleborough. Both the instructor and the student sustained serious injuries but survived the impact. Following the crash, the crew used a mobile phone to alert emergency services, leading to an extensive search and rescue operation involving police and mountain rescue teams.
The investigation
The AAIB examined radar data, meteorological reports, and the aircraft's recovered navigation materials. Radar tracking showed the aircraft's path ended approximately 8 nm south of the crash site. The investigation noted that the instructor had misidentified a ground feature, mistaking the town of Settle for Ingleton, which led to a flawed assessment of their position.
Investigators also reviewed the meteorological conditions, noting that while the forecast predicted scattered cloud, the actual conditions involved low cloud and poor visibility, making visual navigation difficult. The investigation also looked at the aircraft's equipment, noting that while the transponder was functional, it lacked altitude reporting capabilities.