ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 245270
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| Date: | Sunday 27 June 1982 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Southern Aerosports Scorpion |
| Owner/operator: | Christopher Guy Hawes |
| Registration: | G-MMMM |
| MSN: | CGH-1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Buckland, near Reigate, Surrey -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Buckland, near Reigate, Surrey |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The fatal crash of Southern Aerosports Scorpion G-MMMM on 27 June 1982 at Buckland, to the west of Reigate, was the first of three Scorpion crashes in just over two months. The other two were G-MBLI (on 7 August 1982) and G-MBUN (on 23 August 1982).
Southern Aero Sports Scorpion was grounded by the UK Civil Aviation Authority in late 1982. This followed a series of three in-flight structural failures, two on single-seaters and one on a two-seater, which resulted in three deaths and one serious injury. Subsequent investigation by the Accident Investigation Branch revealed a lack of torsional stiffness in the main structural components, as well as a poor standard of detail engineering. The company went into liquidation shortly after the accidents. By the end of 1982 they were no longer trading. Between 30 and 40 Scorpions were made, in various guises, all using Robin engines of either 330 or 440 cc.
Registration G-MMMM cancelled by the CAA on 17 August 1984 as aircraft "destroyed". Although the pilot fatality was not named, it is perhaps not a coincidence that the registered owner (Christopher Guy Hawes of London SW19) died on the same day as the fatal accident involving G-MMMM; which leads one the presumed that he was at the controls at the time.
Sources:
1. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-MMMM.pdf
2. http://all-aero.com/index.php/54-planes-p-q-e-r-s/10460-southern-aero-sports-scorpion
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17939.0
4. https://www.bmaa.org/the-bmaa/bmaa-history/bmaa-history-1982
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckland,_Surrey
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Nov-2020 00:26 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 06-Dec-2020 00:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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