Accident Beagle B.121 Pup Series 2 G-AZEU,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 173312
 
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Date:Sunday 7 January 2001
Time:15:46 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PUP model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beagle B.121 Pup Series 2
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: G-AZEU
MSN: B.121-130
Year of manufacture:1969
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-A2B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Derby Airfield (EGBD), Hilton Road, Egginton, Derbyshire -   United Kingdom
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Derby Airfield (EGBD), Hilton Road, Egginton, Derbyshire
Destination airport:Derby Airfield (EGBD), Hilton Road, Egginton, Derbyshire
Investigating agency: AAIB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was returning to Derby Airfield from the northeast. The weather at the time was surface wind 250°/10 kt with scattered cumulus and strato-cumulus cloud at 3,000 feet. Whilst the visibility was 25 km he had noticed that when flying into sun it was much reduced. On arrival at Derby Airfield he joined the downwind leg of the right hand circuit and could see the grass Runway 23, which had a black and white marker board on either side of the runway threshold. The sun at that stage was hidden behind a cloud.

As the pilot turned onto base leg he lowered flap for landing and positioned the aircraft onto the final approach still having the two marker boards in sight but with the grass of the runway blending with the surrounding grass area. He turned onto the final approach with the sun out from behind the cloud and his visibility in the direction of the runway significantly reduced. The surface was firmer on the right hand side of the runway with some waterlogged areas on the left. For that reason the pilot planned to touchdown on the right hand side of the runway.

On final approach at approximately 60 kt the visibility became very poor but he could see the grass below and a marker board on the left side of the aircraft which he believed to be the marker board on the left side of the runway. He aimed to the right of it and flared the aircraft making a normal touchdown. After a ground run of some 12 meters the aircraft struck a fence and some sheep feeding equipment located to the right of the runway. The nose landing gear bent back and the aircraft slowly tipped forward and became inverted.

The pilot immediately undid his safety harness and exited the aircraft through the normal door. The accident was witnessed by other persons on the airfield and the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service attended immediately. The pilot returned to the aircraft and turned off the electrical master switch and the fuel.

The pilot concluded that with the low sun (sunset was 1609 hrs) and resultant poor into sun visibility he had mistaken the right hand marker board for the left hand marker board and landed to the right of the runway. He did not see the obstacles until just before he collided with them. He also drew attention to a large blade aerial attached to the cabin roof of the aircraft, which was no longer used. As this struck the ground when the aircraft inverted it caused the roof to collapse inwards.

Whilst on this occasion it did not cause him injury or impede his departure from the aircraft, had the impact been greater the results could have been more serious.

G-AZEU sustained substantial damage to wings and fuselage; as a result the registration was cancelled by the CAA on 20 May 2003 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: AAIB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5423048140f0b61346000d1b/dft_avsafety_pdf_500036.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=AZEU
3. http://austerhg.org/prod_list/pages.php?page=3889
4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/duke_of_milan/6905760207/in/photolist-bwePVa-pDbe3Z

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
26-Jan-2015 23:37 Dr. John Smith Added
10-Aug-2015 09:33 Dr. John Smith Updated [Narrative]
13-Jul-2016 11:13 Dr.John Smith Updated [Source]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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