What happened
On 11 December 2005, a Streak Shadow, registration G-BUVX, was conducting a private flight from a 300-metre farm strip located at Brook Farm, near Garstang, Lancashire. Shortly after departing the strip, while the aircraft was at an altitude between 50 and 80 feet during the initial climb, the single Rotax 582 engine suffered a complete loss of power.
As the aircraft lost thrust, the pilot encountered a boundary consisting of a ditch and a barbed wire fence just beyond the upwind end of the runway, with trees positioned to the left of the strip. Because the trees prevented a landing directly ahead, and the pilot decided against attempting a landing in a nearby field occupied by sheep, the pilot executed a left-hand turn into the wind. The aircraft was eventually brought down in a rough area of set-aside land. The landing resulted in minor damage to the landing gear, and there were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
Following the incident, the AAIB conducted an investigation based on the pilot's accident report and subsequent telephone interviews. The investigation focused on the sudden loss of power during the critical climb phase. Investigators examined the fuel system to determine the cause of the engine failure.
Findings
The investigation established that the engine failure was caused by fuel starvation. This starvation was the direct result of a blockage within a fuel pipe. The blockage was caused by an excess of sealant that had been used to secure the fuel gauge sender unit mounting flange against the wall of the fuel tank.