A 72-year-old pilot escaped serious injury after crash-landing a microlight at Otherton Airfield in Penkridge, South Staffordshire, following a distraction from a no-fly zone, an investigation has found.
Pilot Mistook Runway Before Distraction
The incident occurred at around 2pm on Friday, August 29, when the pilot attempted to land but struck the ground at the end of the runway. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report stated that the pilot initially tried to line up with Runway 29 instead of Runway 25 as planned. Realising his error, he altered his approach but then became distracted by a 'No Fly Zone' area near the airfield.
Airspeed Drop Leads to Crash
According to the AAIB, the pilot's airspeed subsequently dropped, causing the aircraft to 'sink excessively' before striking a 'slightly raised area' of ground between a ploughed field and the runway. The aircraft travelled a short distance and came to an abrupt stop. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained significant damage to its fuselage and wing tip.
Pilot's Hindsight and Recency Issues
The AAIB report noted the pilot's own assessment: 'When he realised that he had inadvertently lined up on Runway 29 he immediately altered his flight path to line up on Runway 25. However, he then became preoccupied with the designated No Fly Zone alongside the airfield, which was 180m to the north of the Runway 25 threshold.' The pilot added that, with hindsight, he should not have worried about the no-fly zone and should have initiated a go-around.
The pilot, who had flown numerous heavier piston and jet fixed-wing aircraft, informed investigators that although he was familiar with the microlight type, he had not flown one for approximately 25 years. The AAIB concluded: 'This accident shows that a lack of recency on an aircraft, when coupled with a seemingly unrelated distraction, can occasionally lead to an adverse event which fortunately in this case was not serious.'
