Date:	Sunday 19 June 2016
Time:	11:10
Type:	Zenair CH 601XL Zodiac
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-EXXL
MSN:	LAA 162B-14868
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Incident
Location:	Pilling Sands, Morecambe, Heysham, Lancashire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Pilling Sands, Morecambe, Heysham, Lancashire
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Zenair CH 601XL Zodiac, G-EXXL: Damaged in Mid-air collision with recreational kite, Pilling Sands, Morecambe, Heysham, Lancashire, 19 June 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB report:

"The aircraft was on a local flight from a private airstrip when it collided with a recreational kite being flown at a height of approximately 720 ft (219 m), from the beach at Pilling Sands, near Morecambe. The pilot returned to the airstrip where it became apparent that the string of the kite had cut through the landing light lens skin on the left wing, and a portion of string remained lodged in the wing.

The pilot reported that the kite flight activity had not been ‘NOTAMed’ (notified) or advised to local flying clubs, and the kite did not have any streamers attached to aid conspicuity.

The pilot and her passenger subsequently drove to the beach to speak with the individuals involved in the activity and reported that they appeared unaware of the implications of flying their kites at such heights. The pilot described her concern that the kite had not been visually identifiable in accordance with the relevant kite-flying regulations.

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB report "Landing light lens and left-wing skin" were damaged. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service

Pilling Sands is a tidal marsh in the Borough of Wyre, Lancashire, England. Named for the village of Pilling, located on the Fylde coast immediately to the south, it forms part of the southern edge of Morecambe Bay.

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57ff9519e5274a495f00001e/Zenair_CH_601XL_Zodiac_G-EXXL_11-16.pdf
2. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-exxl
3. https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/G-EXXL
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilling_Sands

This Zenair CH 601XL Zodiac was built in 2012, and was first registered (in advance, while under construction) as G-EXXL on 19 September 2011. Between 2011 and 2023, it has passed through the hands of five successive owners

G-EXXL: Zenair CH 601XL Zodiac at Sleap Airfield, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 29 September 2018

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Apr-2024 16:59	Dr. John Smith	Added
27-Apr-2024 17:00	ASN	Updated [Accident report]