ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 189357
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| Date: | Tuesday 25 October 2005 |
| Time: | 17:00 |
| Type: |  Maule MX-7-180B Star Rocket |
| Owner/operator: | Strongcrew Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BZDT |
| MSN: | 14099C |
| Year of manufacture: | 2000 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-C1F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Private Airstrip, Tarsan Lane, 3 nm NE of Portadown, Northern Ireland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Portadown, Northern Ireland | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 25-10-2005 when aircraft was about to divert to Belfast International Airport, due to rejecting a planned landing on a private grass airstrip at Tarsan Lane, 3 nautical milesx north-east of Portadown, Northern Ireland. The pilot - the sole person on board, and named in a contemporary press report as "Derrymacash businessman Dennis Madden" - sustained minor injuries. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The aircraft was being flown to a private grass strip near Portadown where it was occasionally kept. Due to recent rainfall and a strong south-westerly wind the pilot decided to inspect the landing strip by means of a low overflight, prior to landing. He configured the aircraft with two stages of flap, reduced speed and descended to approximately 100 feet agl over the threshold of the strip’s south-easterly runway.
On flying down the runway he observed surface water patches and, noting a 15 knot crosswind, decided to divert to Belfast International Airport where the aircraft was normally based. Just before he initiated the diversion, and whilst still at 100 feet agl, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence with downdraughts and lost height. Full power was applied and a positive pitch attitude was selected in an attempt to climb away.
However, an uncommanded roll to the left led to a nose low attitude and the left wing and propeller struck the ground before control could be regained. The aircraft then cart wheeled onto its right wing before coming to rest against some trees. The pilot, who was wearing a lap and diagonal harness, was rendered unconscious for a short period before vacating the aircraft without assistance.
Evidence indicates that the aircraft flew into an area of turbulence when downwind of buildings and trees adjacent to the runway. In attempting to fly out of the down-draughts whilst at a low airspeed a rapid selection of a positive pitch attitude is likely to have caused the aircraft to stall. An associated wing drop would lead to the roll and subsequent nose low attitude described by the pilot. Such a stall would have been irrecoverable from 100 feet agl.
The flaps in the wreckage were found to be in the raised position; any reduction in the flap setting during the attempt to climb away would also have increased the likelihood of an aerodynamic stall".
Nature of Damage to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Aircraft damaged beyond economic repair". As a result, the registration G-BZDT was cancelled by the CAA on 01-12-2005 as "Destroyed"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fa29ed915d1374000795/G-BZDT_1-06.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BZDT
3. http://www.portadowntimes.co.uk/news/local-news/pilot-escapes-with-cuts-and-bruises-after-plane-crashes-1-1646733
4. http://www.flyni.co.uk/Tarsan_Lane.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-2016 18:48 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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