Safety Accident Reports Uncontrolled flight Steve Ayres summarises and comments on accident reports from around the world and looks at Fusion, the latest version of the PowerFLARM electronic conspicuity system
Unconstrained rotate Mooney M20S N602TF Olathe, Kansas Injuries: Two fatal
The pilot and a passenger were departing from the airport to return to their home-based airport. A witness reported that nothing was out of the ordinary on the aeroplane’s initial take-off roll. However, the aeroplane rotated at a much slower speed than would be expected and immediately started to climb at a very high pitch attitude. The witness reported that as the aeroplane gained altitude, it appeared to fly slower to the point that the left wing stalled, causing the aeroplane to nose over and continue its trajectory straight into the ground just east of the runway. The witness stated that the engine power was ‘on’ throughout the entire flight. Videos recorded near the accident site and the accident aeroplane’s engine monitor data were consistent with the witness description of the accident flight. The pilot had purchased the aeroplane about one month before the accident and, according to his flight instructor, had accumulated 6.8 hours of instructional flight time. Review of photographs of an exemplar trim jack screw and the accident aeroplane’s jack screw revealed that the aeroplane’s trim system components exhibited a setting consistent with a full nose-up trim. The before take-off checklist for the aeroplane make and model includes the step, ‘Elevator Trim… TAKEOFF SETTING’. Given the available information, it is likely that the pilot
departed with the elevator trim set to a full nose-up setting as opposed to the take-off setting, which resulted in the aeroplane pitching up steeply after lift-off and the subsequent aerodynamic stall. Comment The pilot was relatively low hours but a ‘quick learner’ and of excellent ability according to the instructor. Given the likelihood of a mis-set pitch trim being the cause, maintaining the correct take-off attitude would have been hard work at unstick but not impossible (in most aircraft, at least). That said, the pitch trim mechanism on a Mooney is unconventional and works by repitching the whole tailplane. That may make it more powerful than most in certain circumstances.
Go-around delay Cirrus SR22 N8163P Cotswold (Kemble) Airport, Gloucestershire Injuries: None
While downwind for Runway 08 at Cotswold (Kemble) Airport the pilot was informed that he was number two in the circuit with one landing ahead. He was visual with the landing aircraft and planned his touchdown assuming the aircraft ahead would vacate the runway at the intersection approximately 2/3 along the runway. On calling ‘final to land’, the Flight Information Service Officer (FISO) advised that the runway was occupied by an aircraft that was vacating. However, the aircraft carried on taxying until it reached the end of the runway before vacating. The pilot reported that he had to
“The pilot departed with the elevator trim set to a full nose-up setting” 48 | FLYER | August 2021
hold off the landing until he was given permission to ‘land at his discretion’ as he crossed the threshold. N8163P was still airborne when it reached the first touchdown zone markings. The left wing was then seen to drop and contact the runway. The aircraft touched down on the grass and travelled along the ground at an angle of approximately 45° to the left of the runway heading, until it reached the North Apron where it collided with a parked Piper PA-30 aircraft. The pilot reported that he assumed the aircraft abruptly veered to the left and departed the runway due to a gust of wind. He did not recall hearing the stall warner operate. He reported that he attempted a go-around while he was on the grass but thought the high air temperature meant he did not get the lift he was expecting. He added that his actions in attempting a go-around following the loss of control were instinctive. The collision with the unoccupied parked aircraft occurred at high speed and caused substantial damage to both aircraft. Comment An earlier go-around would have been the right decision, of course. Having not done so and then losing control of the aircraft such that a wing tip strikes the runway really negates such an option. To then press on with doing so from the adjoining grass, pointing towards a parking area, hangar and fuel facility, was not a good move. We will never really know why this course of action was adopted and I suspect the pilot never will, either. We do strange things when ‘startled’, but in this case leaving high power set almost turned a survivable accident into a disaster.
Easily misled Robin DR400 F-BVCK Pau-Pyrénées, France Injuries: None
The pilot, accompanied by a passenger, was on a flight to PauPyrénées. The expected flight time was
