What happened
On 22 February 2011, a Thruster T600N 450, registered G-PSUK, was conducting a training flight at Balado Park Airfield, Kinross. The flight involved a commander instructing a co-pilot on circuit patterns. During the session, the co-pilot performed two successful circuits before attempting a landing on the right side of the runway with the right wing low.
Following the landing, the co-pilot taxied the aircraft back along Runway 25 to prepare for a subsequent takeoff. During the takeoff roll, after the aircraft had travelled 330 metres and reached an airspeed of 55 knots, the co-pilot applied sharp aft input on the control column. This action caused the aircraft to unstick prematurely and decelerate. The aircraft subsequently drifted to the right of the runway and touched down on the right mainwheel, which led to the aircraft pitching forward onto its nose and overturning.
Both occupants, who were uninjured, managed to release their four-point harnesses and exit the cabin doors without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the commander. The inquiry examined the flight dynamics during the takeoff roll and the physical damage sustained by the aircraft, which included damage to the nosewheel, the pod, and the tail. The investigation also noted the commander's observation regarding the difficulty of shadowing the co-pilot's control movements due to the single central control column design of this aircraft type.