ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 184225
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| Date: | Wednesday 19 July 1989 |
| Time: | 18:52 |
| Type: | Aerial Arts Ltd Chaser S microlight |
| Owner/operator: | Richard Victor Rolfe |
| Registration: | G-MVLV |
| MSN: | CH776 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fishbourne Channel, off Hayling Island, Hampshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Manor Farm, Dell Quay, Chichester, West Sussex |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the evening of 19 July 1989 a trainee pilot took off in Aerial Arts Chaser G-MVLV (his own microlight) from Manor Farm, Dell Quay, for a local solo flight. Six minutes later the Chaser was seen to 'rock' in the air and go into a spiral dive. As it did, the engine was heard to stop, one wing collapsed and the Chaser crashed into the sea on the eastern side of the Fishbourne Channel. The lifeboat was launched and a SAR helicopter was scrambled but it took about 40 minutes to find the pilot. By then he had drowned as a result of being rendered unconscious when he and the Chaser hit the water.
According to the following extracts from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The pilot, who had considerable experience on hang gliders, was undergoing a course of conversion training on microlight aircraft. At around 18:45 hours, he took off in Chaser S microlight G-MVLV (which he owned) from a field at Manor Farm, Dell Quay, near Chichester, West Sussex.
At 18:51 hours, when the aircraft was opposite the lifeboat station on the east coast of Hayling Island, it was seen to 'rock' slightly, then fly steadily for 2 or 3 seconds, then rock again. The aircraft then entered into a spiral dive, the engine noise stopped, and one of the wings folded at the mid-position.
As the tide was out, the aircraft struck the sea on the Sussex side of the Chichester Channel. Although a lifeboat and rescue helicopter were promptly sent, and were on the scene quickly, divers were unable to recover the pilot's body until 19:32 hours. The post-mortem report showed- that the pilot, who was wearing a protective helmet, was rendered unconscious by the force of the impact with the water, and subsequently drowned.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the structural components of the left wing had failed in a downwards bending direction, and in an upwards direction on the right wing. The pilots control bar had fractured at the left hand end".
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report, as described above, and "aircraft destroyed". As a result, the registration G-MVLV was cancelled by the CAA on 25 September 1989 as "destroyed".
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/542301c1e5274a1317000b61/Aerial_Arts_Ltd_Chaser_S_microlight__G-MVLV__12-89.pdf
2. CAA: https://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-register/g-info/search-g-info/
3. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-MVLV.html
4. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ChaserOwnersClub/info
5. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17955.0
6. G-MVLT (very similar!) at Popham (EGHP) on 2/5/2004: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1184940
7. https://www.bmaa.org/files/tads_bmo_39.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Feb-2016 18:15 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 04-Dec-2020 01:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, Accident report] |
| 27-Aug-2022 22:20 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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