Date:	Sunday 17 April 2016
Time:	12:22
Type:	Pitts S-1S Special
Owner/operator:	Trustee of the Assets of the G-MAXG Group
Registration:	G-MAXG
MSN:	PFA 009-13233
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Breighton Airfield, Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	Breighton Airfield (EGBR)
Destination airport:	Breighton Airfield (EGBR)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Pitts S-1S Special, G-MAXG; Substantially damaged in a landing mishap (ground loop) at Breighton Airfield, Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, 17 April 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report:

"The pilot was on approach to landing after completion of his final flight during an aerobatic competition. Due to an area of the grass runway being waterlogged he had been advised to use the right side of the grass runway in use, Runway 28L, which was marked by cones.

During his final approach, behind other landing traffic, he held off until the runway was clear and then set up for a normal three-point landing. The aircraft touched down close to the runway edge and after a small bounce the aircraft violently pitched forward and rotated through approximately 210º, coming to rest of the runway.

The landing gear, propeller, wings, rudder and rear fuselage were damaged during the incident. The pilot was
uninjured.

=AAIB Discussion=
The pilot’s analysis of the incident led him to conclude that in holding off he had been side-slipping to the left, normal for the conditions, and had not appreciated that his aeroplane had drifted right. His attention had been taken by the aircraft ahead and he had not realised that his aircraft was now too close the runway edge. On touchdown the right mainwheel ran off the runway into a deeply ploughed surface and the combination of asymmetric drag and forward speed caused the aircraft to pitch forward and rotate before coming to rest

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Impact damage to propeller, landing gear, wings, rudder and rear fuselage". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57ff93dbed915d25be00000c/Pitts_S-1S_Special_G-MAXG_11-16.pdf
2. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-MAXG.html
3. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-maxg
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breighton_Aerodrome#Current_use

This Pitts S-1S Special was built in 2001, and was first registered (from new) on 27 April 2001 as G-MAXG. Between April and June 2013, G-MAXG passed through the hands of four owners, keeping the same registration throughout

After the incident at Breighton on 17 April 2016. G-MAXG was repaired and returned to service, and had accumulated a total of 789 flying hours on the airframe as at 7 June 2023

G-MAXG: Pitts S-1S Special at Pitts Special 70th Anniversary, Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 19 July 2015:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-May-2024 17:13	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-May-2024 17:13	ASN	Updated [Accident report]