ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 188739
Last updated: 13 January 2021
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| Date: | 28-AUG-2001 |
| Time: | 16:19 |
| Type: |  Denney Kitfox 3 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-BUNM |
| C/n / msn: | PFA172-12111 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Beauly Firth, near Inverness, Highland, Scotland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Inverness Dalcross Airport (INV/EGPE) |
| Beauly Firth, near Inverness, Highland, Scotland | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
Denney Kitfox Mk.3 G-BUNM was equipped with floats. It was written off (damaged beyond repair) 28-8-2001 when it overturned and sank when it landed on water in the Beauly Firth, near Inverness, Highland, Scotland. No injuries sustained to the two persons on board (pilot and one passenger). According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The pilot took off from Inverness airfield with the intention of measuring his amphibious aircraft's performance whilst climbing with the landing gear extended. The aircraft proceeded along the Beauly Firth, to the west of Inverness, before turning to return. The weather was fine with good visibility and a surface wind of 215 degrees/5 knots.
After a few minutes the pilot decided to carry out a landing on the water. He turned the aircraft into wind and executed a normal approach but during the landing flare the front wheels, which had not been retracted as they should have been, made contact with the water pitching the aircraft such that it very slowly inverted. The aircraft cabin began gradually to fill with water.
There was sufficient time for the pilot and observer to evacuate the aircraft without injury and stand on the now inverted floats. Initially the pilot thought that the aircraft had struck an underwater object. It was only whilst standing on the floats that he realised he had landed on the water in the wrong configuration. The local lifeboat station was close by and both survivors were rescued by an inshore lifeboat within 8 minutes."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Minor damage to wing fabric and water rudder with water damage to electrical system". It is not known what happened next to the aircraft, except that the registration G-BUNM was cancelled by the CAA on 05-05-2010 (almost nine years later) as owners "Addressee Status: Gone Away". It is presumed that G-BUMN was withdrawn from use sometime after the above accident.
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fef6ed915d13710009e9/dft_avsafety_pdf_501838.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BUNM
Accident investigation:
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Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Jul-2016 17:16 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 18-Jul-2016 17:17 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 18-Jul-2016 17:19 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Jul-2016 11:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Total occupants, Narrative] |
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