ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 263119
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| Date: | Wednesday 26 May 2021 |
| Time: | c. 17:53 |
| Type: | Gardan GY-201 Minicab |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-BEBR |
| MSN: | PFA.1824 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Lower Durston, 5 miles North-East of Taunton, Somerset -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Durston, Taunton, Somerset |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A light aircraft force landed in a field at Lower Durston, five miles north-east of Taunton, Somerset. The pilot self extricated himself before the emergency services arrived. Avon and Somerset Police said today that he was taken to hospital with"injuries not thought to be life threatening."
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "Fire crews made the aircraft safe, air ambulance attended and the pilot was taken to hospital by road ambulance with injuries not believed to be life threatening. Police secured the scene for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch until 8.30pm."
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said they were called to the scene by South Western Ambulance Service at 5.49pm and responded with four vehicles. A spokesperson said: "Two appliances from Taunton with the Heavy Rescue Vehicle and a 4x4 vehicle and one appliance from Wellington were mobilised following a report from South West Ambulance Service of a light aircraft crashed into a field at the above location.
"On arrival at the scene crew confirmed one male had already been released from the plane, crew got to work to check for any fuel leaking. One light plane crash landed into private field, one person self extricated and in the care of the ambulance service. Crew isolated the fuel and electrics of the plane and left in the hands of the police on scene."
Durston is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road 5 miles (8.0 km) north east of Taunton and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Bridgwater in the Somerset West and Taunton district.
UPDATE: The AAIB Final Report into the incident was published on 14 October 2021, and the following is an excerpt from the report...
"AAIB investigation to GY201 Amateur Built, G-BEBR:
Stalled close to the ground during a forced landing, Lower Durston, Somerset, 26 May 2021.
The pilot had recently acquired the aircraft and planned to carry out two circuits from a farm strip using various flap settings. While on the downwind leg, at about 400 ft agl, the engine started to misfire and did not produce sufficient power to enable him to land back on the strip.
He therefore initiated a field landing and as he approached the field from the east his vision was impaired by the setting sun. He reported that he attempted to select full flap but found the flap handle jammed. He then “inadvertently” pulled back on the control column which resulted in the aircraft stalling near to the ground and landing heavily.
The wing and landing gear were damaged during the impact and the pilot sustained injuries. Although he was able to exit the aircraft himself, his injuries required hospitalisation. The pilot confirmed that there was sufficient fuel on the aircraft but did not know what caused the misfire and loss of power. He also reported that during his examination of the aircraft after the accident, a plastic torch was found within the port wing “jammed in the flap and aileron mechanism”.
=Damage Sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB report "Landing gear and wing damaged". However, the damage sustained was presumably severe enough to render the airframe as "damaged beyond repair", as the registration G-BEBR was cancelled by the CAA as "de-registered" on 21 July 2021
Sources:
1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614aeb83e90e070442fbde8c/GY201_Amateur_Built_G-BEBR_10-21.pdf
2. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/taunton-plane-crash-pilot-taken-5462604
3. https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/News/Newsdesk/IncidentDetail.cfm?IncidentID=53268&siteCategoryId=3&T1ID=26&T2ID=41
4. https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2021-05-27/pilot-taken-to-hospital-after-plane-crashes-near-taunton
5. https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/19332923.pilots-injuries-not-life-threatening-crash-field-near-taunton/
6. https://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news/19331265.light-aircraft-crashes-field-durston/
7. https://www.lovesedgemoor.co.uk/light-aircraft-crashes-into-field-at-durston/
8. https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=118761
9. https://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news/19331265.light-aircraft-crashes-field-durston/
10. https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/somerset/news/lucky-escape-after-plane-crash-in-somerset/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durston
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-May-2021 21:41 | Geno | Added |
| 26-May-2021 21:42 | Geno | Updated [Country] |
| 26-May-2021 23:08 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-May-2021 15:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Phase, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 27-May-2021 16:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-May-2021 16:02 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-May-2021 18:48 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-May-2021 18:49 | Aerossurance | Updated [[Location, Source, Narrative]] |
| 20-Jul-2021 12:53 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 20-Jul-2021 12:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 20-Jul-2021 12:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 20-Jul-2021 12:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location] |
| 16-Oct-2021 18:49 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category] |
| 16-Oct-2021 18:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Category] |
| 19-Oct-2021 22:19 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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