What happened
On 7 November 2013, a Socata TB10 Tobago, registration G-BSDL, was performing a private flight from Retford/Gamston Airport to Fenland Airfield for a scheduled annual maintenance check. During the approach, the pilot completed standard pre-descent and downwind checks, which included the use of carburettor heat and the selection of 10 degrees of flap.
As the aircraft passed abeam the runway threshold, the engine experienced a sudden and complete loss of power. The pilot attempted to restore power by advancing the throttle and propeller levers, but these actions were unsuccessful. After realizing the aircraft would not reach the runway, the pilot transitioned to a left base turn to head straight toward the airfield. During this maneuver, the pilot retracted the flaps to reduce drag.
Ultimately, the aircraft touched down in a ploughed field approximately 500 meters short of the runway threshold. Because the field had been ploughed at right angles to the aircraft's path, the nosewheel struck the ground after a short ground roll and collapsed. The sudden deceleration caused the engine to detach from the airframe. The pilot sustained no injuries, though they were left in a dazed state following the impact.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the aircraft's condition following the impact, noting that the nose landing gear had collapsed and the engine had become detached. A visual inspection of the engine by the maintenance company failed to identify any obvious cause for the sudden loss of power.