Date:	Tuesday 24 July 2012
Time:	17:25 LT
Type:	Percival Proctor III
Owner/operator:	Surrey Aviation
Registration:	G-ALJF
MSN:	K.427
Year of manufacture:	1940
Engine model:	De Havilland Gipsy Queen 2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Hastings Road, Rolvenden, Cranbrook, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Le Touqet, France (LTQ/LFAT)
Destination airport:	Private Airstrip 12 nm SW of Ashford, Kent
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Substantially damaged (presumed written off/damaged beyond repair) 24/07/2012 when crashed at Hastings Road, Rolvenden, Cranbrook, Kent. The pilot - the sole person on board - sustained serious injuries. Accoarding to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The accident occurred at the end of a return flight to Le Touquet, as the aircraft was landing at a private airstrip. The grass runway at the airstrip was orientated 11/29 and about 350 metres long. The weather was fine, with no wind and a temperature of 27 degrees C. The pilot, who was familiar with the airstrip, having flown from it for a number of
years, elected to land in the easterly direction.

He allowed the aircraft to become slightly slow just before touchdown and applied power to correct. The aircraft bounced and he applied full power to fly a go-around. However, the aircraft did not climb but remained in ground effect at low airspeed, with full flaps still selected, and started to veer to the right. The pilot was unable to raise the flaps, because of the airspeed, so elected, instead, to reduce power and land. He then intended to perform a “ground loop”, before the aircraft reached a substantial hedge and ditch ahead.

However, before he could do so, the aircraft’s left wing struck a small oak tree, swinging the aircraft to the left and into the hedge, where it came to rest. There was no fire but the pilot, who was wearing a lap strap harness, sustained serious injuries.

The emergency services attended the scene and the county Fire and Rescue Service freed the pilot from the wreckage, before he was taken to hospital.

In his report, the pilot attributed the accident to a combination of his handling of the aircraft and the hot, calm conditions."

Damage sustained to airframe: According to the AAIB report "Damage to wings, engine bearer and propeller, aft fuselage and landing gear". However, despite being assessed as being "damaged beyond repair", the aircraft remains still on the UK civil register, and it is inferred that it was be eventually repaired/rebuilt

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422eeeced915d1374000253/Percival_Proctor_3_G-ALJF_02-13.pdf
2. CAA: https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=reg&fullregmark=ALJF
ex.Z7252.
3. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?118461-Proctor-Crash-Kent-24-7-12
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-18977298
5. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1181347/
6. https://www.airteamimages.com/percival-proctor_G-ALJF_-private_157315.html
7. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001063467.html
8. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.pixstel.com/percival-proctor-g-aljf_urlb3978.php?db=3]

Percival P-34A Proctor 3 G-ALJF at Kemble, Gloucestershire (EGBP) in 1999:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Aug-2012 15:50	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-Jan-2014 17:01	TB	Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
27-Oct-2014 00:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
16-Sep-2015 16:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
04-Jan-2017 18:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative]
04-Jan-2017 18:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
04-Jan-2017 18:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
04-Jan-2017 18:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Narrative]
12-Jul-2019 16:20	A.J.Scholten	Updated [Source]