ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 89976
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| Date: | Sunday 29 February 2004 |
| Time: | 14:55 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-25-235D Pawnee C |
| Owner/operator: | Southdown Gliding Club Ltd |
| Registration: | G-ASKV |
| MSN: | 25-2272 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1963 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-B2C5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pond Cottage, off Heather Lane, West Chiltington, West Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Parham Airfield, Pulborough, West Sussex |
| Parham Airfield, Pulborough, West Sussex | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (destroyed) when crashed into the garden of Pond Cottage, off Heather Lane, West Chiltington, West Sussex, whilst glider towing, on 29-02-2004 after the 71-year-old pilot became incapacitated, possibly due to having a heart attack (cardiac arrest) whilst at the controls. A Contemporary press report (sse link #4) named the fatality as "Pilot Derek Sephton, who was secretary of the nearby Southdown Gliding Club". According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB accident report:
"The aircraft took off towing a glider and shortly after takeoff the pilot became incapacitated. As the aircraft deviated from its expected departure track the glider pilots released from the tow and carried out a successful landing on the airfield. The aircraft subsequently entered a gentle descent, began to roll to the right and impacted with some trees. Although the aircraft remained substantially intact there was a severe post impact fire. A post mortem examination indicated that the pilot had probably become incapacitated and died in flight. There was evidence found of an abnormality in the pilot's heart, which suggested that heart failure was the probable cause of death".
Nature of Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Aircraft destroyed". As a result, the registration G-ASKV was cancelled on 02-06-2004 as "destroyed"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f62fed915d13710005df/dft_avsafety_pdf_030898.pdf
2. CAA; https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=ASKV
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/3520337.stm
4. http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/local/pilot-dies-following-crash-1-833315
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Feb-2011 14:43 | harro | Added |
| 02-May-2012 06:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 23-Jul-2016 20:10 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Jul-2016 20:11 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 01-Aug-2016 19:18 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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