What happened
On 30 December 2007, a Zenair CH 601HD Zodiac, registration G-BVPL, was involved in a fatal accident near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The pilot had departed from Midlem airstrip for a local flight. During the flight, the aircraft's GPS track indicated a descending turn. The aircraft eventually impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude within a thicket of gorse bushes approximately half a mile from the airfield. The impact was high-speed and resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and recovered a GPS receiver which provided a recorded track of the flight. The data showed a steady descent and a reduction in ground speed during a final lateral manoeuvre. Examination of the engine and fuel system revealed that while the aircraft had not run out of fuel, the fuel selector valve was found in the 'OFF' position. There was no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical or electrical failure within the engine or the flight controls. The investigation also looked into the weather conditions, noting that an occluded front was moving through the area, bringing drizzle and potentially low cloud levels.
Findings
- The aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down attitude at relatively high speed.
- The pilot may have lost control of the aircraft after entering conditions of poor visibility or Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
- The fuel selector valve had been moved to the OFF position by the pilot, possibly as part of a 'crash' drill.
- It is possible that carburettor icing caused a loss of engine power, which would have prevented the pilot from diverting to a more suitable airfield.
- The pilot was operating without a flight plan and was not in communication with any air traffic control unit.