What happened
On 18 February 2007, a SMG-92 Turbo Finist, registration HA-YDF, was conducting an aerial work flight at Hibaldstow Airfield in Lincolnshire. During the takeoff roll, the pilot noticed an unusual noise and vibration, which he interpreted as a door not being properly secured. To address this, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff procedure.
As the pilot retarded the throttle and moved the propeller into the beta range to begin braking, the aircraft lost directional control. The aircraft veered toward the right side of the runway and entered a ground loop. The aircraft eventually came to a halt in a field adjacent to the runway. While the pilot and seven passengers escaped without injury, the aircraft sustained damage, including a distorted empennage and a bent tail drag strut.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of engine and propeller adjustments made during the aborted takeoff. The investigation focused on how the transition to the beta range and the reduction in engine power influenced the aircraft's stability during the ground roll. The pilot's experience and the aircraft's mechanical state at the time of the incident were also reviewed.