Mid-air collision at Leicester Airport involving two light aircraft

Casualties unknown • Leicester Airport, GB

A mid-air collision between a Taylorcraft BC12D and a Pitts S-2C at Leicester Airport resulted in one fatality and significant damage to both aircraft.

What happened

On 18 December 2011, a Taylorcraft BC12D, registration G-BVXS, was performing a takeoff from Runway 33 at Leicester Airport. Shortly after departure, as the aircraft was climbing onto the crosswind leg of the visual circuit, it collided with a Pitts S-2C, registration G-IICI, which was joining the circuit from the northeast.

The pilot of the G-IICI had been performing aerobatics near Melton Mowbray and was returning to Leicester. To maintain awareness of radio activity while performing manoeuvres, the pilot had temporarily lowered the radio volume. Upon approaching the airport, the pilot initiated a left turn onto the crosswind leg. During this phase, the G-IICI was flying at approximately 1,000 feet with a 30-degree bank, positioned such that the sun was directly in the pilot's line of sight.

The collision occurred when the G-IICI struck the G-BVXS. The impact caused the G-BVXS to enter an uncontrollable vertical dive, striking the ground near the airport boundary. The pilot of the G-BVXS sustained one fatal injury. The G-IICI sustained damage beyond economic repair and was forced to make an emergency landing on a nearby road, where the two occupants emerged uninjured.

The investigation

Investigators analysed radar and GPS data, which confirmed the two aircraft were on converging paths. Video footage from a helmet-mounted camera on the G-IICI provided critical evidence, showing that the G-BVXS was positioned below and to the right of the G-IICI's nose, making it difficult to detect. The footage also highlighted that the sun's position and the lack of contrast between the G-BVXS and the landscape significantly hindered visibility.

Engineering inspections of both aircraft found no evidence of mechanical failure contributing to the accident. The controls and engines on both the Taylorcraft BC12D and the Pitts S-2C were found to be in working order. The investigation also noted that while the G-BVXS pilot had made all required radio transmissions for taxi and takeoff, the G-IICI pilot had not performed a standard overhead join, opting instead for a crosswind join due to cloud conditions to the north.

Probable cause

The mid-air collision was caused by the pilots' failure to see or avoid each other, driven by a combination of poor forward visibility from the Pitts S-2C, the blinding position of the sun, the low visual contrast of the Taylorcraft against the terrain, and the non-standard approach path of the Pitts S-2C.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2011-12-18 Taylorcraft BC12D Twosome and Pitts S-2C Pitts Special accident near Leicester Airport, GB?

A mid-air collision between a Taylorcraft BC12D and a Pitts S-2C at Leicester Airport resulted in one fatality and significant damage to both aircraft.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2011-12-18 involved a Taylorcraft BC12D Twosome and Pitts S-2C Pitts Special, registration G-BVXS and G-IICI, at Leicester Airport, GB.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The mid-air collision was caused by the pilots' failure to see or avoid each other, driven by a combination of poor forward visibility from the Pitts S-2C, the blinding position of the sun, the low visual contrast of the Taylorcraft against the terrain, and the non-standard approach path of the Pitts S-2C.

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