ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 281916
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| Date: | Monday 26 August 1985 |
| Time: | 15:30 |
| Type: | Ultrasports/Solar Wings Panther XLS |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-MMTC |
| MSN: | T6841101XL |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Truleigh Sands, Edburton Road, Edburton, Henfield, Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Truleigh Sands, Edburton Road, Edburton, Henfield, Sussex |
Ultrasports/Solar Wings Panther XLS G-MMTC: Substantially damaged 26 August 1985 during the initial climb out from a grass field at Truleigh Sands, Edburton Road, Edburton, Henfield, Sussex. The incident was the subject of a AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the investigation...
"The aircraft was being operated from a rectangular grass strip, bounded on its eastern edge by woods, but with the east-west runway area extended into a cut-out into the woods. Due to the potential hazards in making an easterly takeoff towards the woods, the pilot decided to take off in a westerly direction, starting his ground run within the cut out strip extension in the eastern wooded area.
The wind direction was 140 degrees, giving the aircraft a tailwind component, but the winds strength was negligible and the pilot considered that it would have little effect on his takeoff run - a view that was reinforced by the earlier successful landing of a crop spraying aircraft in the same direction as his intended takeoff path.
A full power takeoff was made, with the aircraft being held at an altitude of 5 to 10 feet agl, in order to allow the airspeed to increase. before a normal climb was initiated.
At approximately 40 feet agl, an instantaneous power loss was experienced, and the pilot immediately lowed the aircraft's nose, in order to increase speed, and the aircraft then descended rapidly. The aircraft did not stall, and a successful flare and landing was accomplished. However the ground speed on touch down was too high to allow the aircraft to stop in time to avoid the boundary hedge. (The aircraft was not fitted with wheel brakes). The aircraft therefore collided with the boundary hedge and struck a tree stump that was in the hedge, damaging the airframe.
Of the two persons on board, the passenger was uninjured, but the pilot suffered a cracked wrist".
=Damage to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "front forks, pitch limiter and base tube damaged". It can be presumed that the aircraft was repaired and returned to service, as G-MMTC was sold on to new owners a further four times, as follows...
29 September 1984: First registered as G-MMTC to an owner in Brighton, Sussex
8 July 1987: Sold on to a new owner in Bracknell, Berkshire
13 August 1991: Sold on to a new owner in Pewsey, Wiltshire
27 April 1993: Sold on to a new owner in Warsash, Southampton, Hampshire
3 February 2000; Sold on to a new owner in Carmarthen, Wales
10 March 2010: Registration G-MMTC cancelled by the CAA (and airframe de-registered)
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422edae40f0b613460001bb/Ultrasports_Panther_G-MMTC_05-85.pdf
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-MMTC.pdf
3. https://addressesandpostcodes.co.uk/address/XkgpIQXu/truleigh-sands-edburton-road-edburton-henfield-bn5-9ll.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Aug-2022 16:52 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 23-Aug-2022 20:44 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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