What happened
On 5 May 2011, a Zenair CH 601HD aircraft, registration G-CBDT, crashed while attempting to land at a private airstrip near Penrith, Cumbria. The pilot had been on a flying visit to Caernarfon and was returning to his home-based strip in the Pennines.
During the approach, the aircraft struck a line of trees located just east of the landing strip. The impact caused the aircraft to strike the ground with a heavy nose-down attitude. The wreckage formed a trail of damage through the wooded area before the aircraft came to rest 58 metres from the airstrip. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the wreckage and the site, noting that the aircraft's left wingtip had made initial contact with the trees. The investigation found that the engine was rotating at the time of impact and that the aircraft was within its maximum authorised weight and centre of gravity limits.
Investigators analysed the flight controls and found them to be in good working order, with no evidence of pre-existing restrictions. The engine was dismantled and found to have no internal mechanical defects; all damage was consistent with the ground impact. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's medical history, noting a recent history of irregular heart rhythm, and performed a toxicology screen which detected O-desmethyltramadol, a metabolite of the drug tramadol, in the pilot's system.
Findings
- The aircraft was likely performing a late go-around when the left wing struck the trees.
- Local topography and wind conditions likely created significant windshear during the approach.
- The presence of O-desmethyltramadol in the pilot's system may have potentially impaired performance through distraction or incapacitation.
- The pilot's underlying heart condition was a possible contributing factor.