19 January 2021
How on earth did the pilot walk away from this aircraft after hitting a stack of hay bales during take-off and crashing to the ground?
Amazingly, no one was hurt although the aircraft, an ICP Savannah kitplane built in 2011, was destroyed, according to the just-released AAIB report.
The accident happened at Scurf Dyke Farm near Driffield, Yorks last June. According to the pilot’s accident report, during take-off the aircraft struck a bump causing the pilot’s knee to touch the flap lever, which then moved from the 20° to the 40° position.
Shortly after take-off, the pilot felt the left wing start to stall, and the aircraft subsequently struck a stack of hay bales.
Local evening flight
The farm strip was approximately 220 metres long, dry, cut-grass pasture with power lines at the eastern end and farm buildings to the north.
The pilot had prepared for a local evening flight from his home farm strip to Beverley Airfield and after completing the pre-flight checks, he lined the aircraft up on an easterly heading to take off into a light wind. With the flaps set to the normal take-off configuration of 20°, he commenced the take-off roll.
Approximately two-thirds along the ground roll, the pilot reported that he felt one of the main wheels strike a bump which caused his knee to touch the flap lever. The flaps then deployed to full flaps of 40°.
The aircraft started to climb at very low speed and was close to stalling. To avoid a stall, the pilot lowered the nose, but was conscious that he needed to maintain enough height to avoid the power lines at the end of the strip.
Having cleared the power lines, he reported that he felt the left wing starting to stall and so applied left rudder and lowered the nose further.
The aircraft veered to the left and struck a stack of hay bales at approximately 10 metres above the ground. It then struck the ground tail first before coming to rest. The pilot was able to turn off the fuel before exiting the aircraft with only minor injuries.
6 comments
That might show the difference in build between a Savannah and a Zenair.
Delighted to see the cockpit area kept its integrity even with impacts from both in front and from behind.
Left rudder applied to try to lift left wing stalling????? No wonder it rolled left…..
Just seal all cracks and halls and inflate it back to it’s shape
Ah.. the ‘stack of hay bales’ obstacle? Just like days gone by at Old Buckenham.
Yes, that jumped out at me. It’s written unquestioningly and matter of fact. I wonder whether it was what the pilot actually did, or whether it’s an error in the report.
The report also states “The POH states that 228 m is required to clear a 50 ft obstacle. The strip length was approximately 220 m and the height of the power lines was approximately 20 ft.”
Sounds a bit tight at the best of times.
Anyway, it’s great that the cockpit protected him and he walked away. It’s also a good reminder to us all – holes in the Swiss cheese, and all that.