What happened
On 18 May 2012, a Team Minimax 93, registration G-CBPL, crashed in a field near Newnham Way, Ashwell, Hertfordshire. The aircraft, which was being flown for the purpose of flight testing under a Permit Flight Release Certificate, entered an erect spin from which the pilot was unable to recover. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude with an unusual engine sound before it began a descent in a left-hand spin. The impact was severe, with the aircraft striking the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude, causing the destruction of the aircraft and resulting in one serious injury to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the wreckage and the pilot's background. The investigation found that the aircraft was constructed according to LAA procedures, and no pre-existing structural failures were identified. While the engine was running on MOGAS, which can increase the risk of carburettor icing, the investigation could not definitively confirm a power loss. The pilot, who had extensive experience in flexwing aircraft but very little experience in three-axis aircraft, had used a home flight simulator to prepare for the flight. The investigation also noted that the pilot was not the designated test pilot named in the permit to fly.
Findings
- The pilot's lack of specific training and experience in three-axis control systems likely contributed to the accident.
- The fundamental differences in control inputs between flexwing and three-axis aircraft—specifically the opposite nature of pitch and roll movements—may have led to incorrect instinctive reactions.
- The pilot's familiarity with weight-shift controls may have caused improper control inputs during the flight.
- Meteorological conditions indicated a high likelihood of serious carburettor icing, which remains a possible factor in the engine's unusual sound, though not a confirmed cause of the spin.
Safety action
- The AAIB recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority, in consultation with the British Microlight Aircraft Association, should amend legislation to introduce distinct pilot qualifications for different microlight control systems, requiring pilots to undergo specific training and pass a flight test for each type.