Date:	Wednesday 12 December 1979
Time:	13:24 UTC
Type:	Cessna F172L Skyhawk (Reims)
Owner/operator:	Wycombe Air Centre Ltd.
Registration:	G-BFKS
MSN:	F172-0887
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Moore Farm, near Lane End, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Wycombe Airport, Booker (EGTB)
Destination airport:	Peterborough/Sibson Airport (EGSP)
Investigating agency:	AIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Ex-F-BTFX (first registered in France 2/1/1973). French registration cancelled 13/2/1978. First UK registered 8/3/1978 as G-BFKS. Written off 12/12/1979: The aircraft lost height shortly after take off from Booker (EGTB) and hit the ground at Moore Farm, near Lane End, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire (1 mile South West of Booker) on 12/12/1979. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The aircraft was making a private flight in the local area and took off from Runway 25 at Wycombe Air Park (Booker) at 13:23 hours. In addition to the pilot, there were three male passengers on board. The pilot intentionally selected almost full flap for take off, and the aircraft required a ground run of more than usual length in which to become airborne. After take off the aircraft ceased to climb after gaining less than 100 feet of altitude. The pilot was unable to prevent the speed decaying, despite the partial retraction of the flaps, and the aircraft stalled.

The aircraft entered a wood at a steep angle and cam to rest inverted. There was no fire; two of the passengers were killed, and the other two occupants (pilot and one passenger) were seriously injured.

The AAIB report concludes that the accident was caused by the pilots use of an excessive amount of flap on take off, at a time when there was a loss of engine power, possibly caused by carburettor icing. The slightly overloaded condition of the aircraft, and deficiencies in the pilots knowledge of aircraft operation were also contributory factors"

G-BFKS was damaged beyond repair (the AAIB report confirms aircraft "destroyed") but was only belatedly de-registered by the CAA on 24/6/1983 - four years later - as "destroyed".

1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422feb040f0b613420008d9/5-1980_G-BFKS.pdf
2. CAA: https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-BFKS.pdf
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/f172show.asp?start=851&count=50]
4. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1970-1979_30.html
5. Air Britain: British Civil Aircraft Registers 1919 to 1999 (published 1999)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Nov-2010 06:40	andrewaircraft	Added
26-Sep-2011 02:26	Uli Elch	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
26-Sep-2011 02:27	Uli Elch	Updated [Location]
09-Nov-2012 13:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
14-Jul-2015 13:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
22-Oct-2015 20:34	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Total fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
22-Oct-2015 20:37	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]