Lost bolt caused microlight crash
A pilot whose microlight aircraft crashed while landing on Lundy Island had been affected by the loss of a tiny bolt from his machine.
A new government report details the incident which happened in May 2023.
The pilot was flying the aircraft solo and suffered minor injuries in the crash. He was taken off the island to the mainland by an air ambulance helicopter but was discharged from hospital the same day.
The report from the Air Accident Investigation Branch says the pilot had flown the tiny aircraft down from Nottingham that morning, and had refuelled ready for the return journey.
It says he encountered ‘significant control difficulties’ soon after take-off. He was able to manoeuvre to return to the island but had great difficulty in controlling the aircraft.
The report goes on: “Control was lost close to the ground and the aircraft was extensively damaged in the touchdown.”
It says a securing bolt had come out of the mechanism which joins the aircraft to its wing, which altered the trim of the aircraft and made it pitch nose-upwards.
Since the accident owners of the same Quik GT450 aircraft are being advised to check the bolt and bracket daily. The aircraft manufacturer has also introduced a new clamp to make sure such incidents do not happen again.
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