Date:	Saturday 7 May 2016
Time:	14:00
Type:	Pitts S-2A
Owner/operator:	Intui Ltd
Registration:	G-BTUL
MSN:	2200
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Shrewsbury-Sleap Airport (EGCV)
Destination airport:	Shrewsbury-Sleap Airport (EGCV)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Pitts S-2A Special, G-BTUL: Damaged beyond repair in a Ground loop on landing, Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 7 May 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report:

" The landing was after a completion of the third of a series of aerobatic training flights. The pilot had taken control from the student for the landing and joined crosswind for a right-hand circuit landing on Runway 05 at Sleap Airfield. The wind was reported as from 080º at 10 kt. During the approach onto final the pilot was aware that the aircraft was closer to the threshold than anticipated and adjusted the flight path accordingly. Flare and touchdown were normal, but during the ground roll the aircraft did not decelerate as expected. The left wing then dropped and the aircraft then ground looped to the right causing damage to the wing, tail wheel and rudder. The pilot and student evacuated the aircraft without injury.

Although the reported wind favoured Runway 05, the previous landing aircraft had made the decision to land on another runway as they felt there may have been a tailwind on Runway 05 and other observers at the airfield later reported to the pilot of G-BTUL that the wind at that time appeared to them to be from south-southwest, which would have resulted in a tailwind on Runway 05.

Examination of the aircraft shortly after the accident revealed that the left main landing gear had collapsed and that it was possible that this occurred during the landing roll precipitating the initial wing drop leading to the ground loop".

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "Lower wing, left landing gear, tail wheel and bottom of rudder damaged". The damage sustained was presumably enough to warrant the airframe as "damaged beyond repair", as the registration was cancelled (and aircraft was de-registered) on 14 November 2018 as "Permanently Withdrawn from Use"

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58496863e5274a1307000076/Pitts_S-2A_Special_G-BTUL_01-17.pdf
2. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-BTUL.html
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N900RS.html
4. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Search?registration=G-BTUL
5. https://onespotter.com/aircraft/fid/1148167/N900RS
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleap_Airfield

This Pitts S-2A was built in 1979, and was first registered in the United States as N900RS. The US registration N900RS was cancelled on 23 August 1991. It was first registered in the UK as G-BTUL on 2 September 1991. Between September 1991 and January 2015, the aircraft passed through the hands of seven owners. As at 31 December 2014, G-BTUL had accumulated a total of 1,876 flying hours on the airframe

After the accident on 7 May 2016, the aircraft was severely damaged - presumably enough to warrant the airframe as \"damaged beyond repair\", as the registration was cancelled (and aircraft was de-registered) on 14 November 2018 as \"Permanently Withdrawn from Use\"

Pitts S-2A G-BTUL at LAA Rally, Sywell, Northamptonshire (ORM/EGBK) 31 August 2010

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Apr-2024 18:49	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Apr-2024 18:50	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Accident report]