Date:	Friday 17 March 2017
Time:	14:00 LT
Type:	Pitts S-2A
Owner/operator:	First Light Aviation Ltd
Registration:	G-SKNT
MSN:	2048
Year of manufacture:	1973
Engine model:	Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Kenwick, Cockshutt, South East of Ellesmere, Shropshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Rednal Airfield, Rednal, West Felton, Shropshire.
Destination airport:	Shrewsbury-Sleap Airport (EGCV)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Pitts S-2A G-SKNT: Substantially damaged 17 March 2017 when the aircraft force landed onto farm field terrain in Kenwick, southeast of Ellesmere in Shropshire, England. The biplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage, and the sole pilot onboard was not injured. The reasons of the emergency landing are unknown. According to the following press release from Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS):

"At 14:00 on Friday, 17 March, 2017, SFRS Fire Control received a call reporting an incident classified as Aircraft Light in Ellesmere. 8 fire appliances including the Foam Pod and the Land Rover Pump were mobilised from Ellesmere, Prees and Wem. An Operations officer was in attendance.

West Midlands Ambulance Service and West Mercia Police also attended. An MOD spokesperson said: “Staff in the Air Traffic Control tower at Royal Air Force Shawbury were already in contact with a light aircraft which was routing to land at Sleap airfield when the pilot issued a MAYDAY radio call. The staff immediately contacted the Distress and Diversion Cell based at the London Area Traffic Control Centre, which is located at Swanwick, near Southampton, along with local civilian emergency services.

Additional assistance was requested from a light civilian aircraft, which was transiting the area to check the location of the incident. A Coastguard helicopter who was also in the area heard the mayday call and was directed to the incident by controllers.

The Royal Air Force Shawbury controlling staff was in constant communication with the civilian emergency services, ensuring that rescue teams were quickly on the scene to deal with the incident. We hope that the pilot has not suffered serious injuries during this incident."

The incident was declared as "Stop" (=Completed) by SFRS at 14:49 hours.

UPDATE: The official AAIB report into the accident was published on August 10, 2017, and the following is a summary from that report...

"AAIB investigation to Pitts S-2A Pitts Special, G-SKNT
Aircraft overturned during a forced landing following engine failure, Cockshutt, Ellesmere, Shropshire, 17 March 2017.

The pilot intended to make a short flight from Rednal to Sleap as part of the aircraft’s annual maintenance check. He reported that engine operation on the ground was normal but 'oil pressure was slow to increase, and was giving a fluctuating indication'.

The fluctuations continued when airborne but, with temperature indicating normal, he requested a Basic Service from RAF Shawbury and set off towards Sleap. Almost immediately thereafter the indicated oil pressure decayed to zero, but the temperature was “still in the middle of the green arc”. He advised Shawbury of his intention to return to Rednal with a possible engine failure. As he initiated a turn the engine began to lose power and vibrate and on rolling wings level at approximately 1,200 feet agl, it ceased producing power.

Unable to make the runway, the pilot carried out a forced landing in a wheat field. During the landing the left wingtip and aileron spade caught an undulation and the aircraft came to rest inverted. The pilot opened the canopy and exited without assistance.

It was reported that preliminary examination of the engine confirmed a mechanical failure associated with the No 4 cylinder connecting rod bearing."

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB report "Engine failure and extensive airframe damage"

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/595e40c440f0b60a4400012e/Pitts_S-2A_Pitts_Special_G-SKNT_08-17.pdf
2. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/emergency-services/2017/03/17/plane-makes-emergency-landing-in-shropshire-field/plane-crash-17-jr-06-jpg/
3. https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/52060
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20170317215059/http://www.shropshirelive.com/2017/03/17/plane-makes-emergency-landing-in-field-near-ellesmere/
5. http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/news/173857/plane-forced-to-make-emergency-landing-in-field-near-ellesmere.aspx/
6. http://www.whitchurchherald.co.uk/mobile/mnews/173857/plane-forced-to-make-emergency-landing-in-field-near-ellesmere.aspx/
7. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-PEAL.html
8. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-SKNT.html
9. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-OPTZ.html
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockshutt,_Shropshire

This Pitts S-2A was built in 1973, and was first registered in the United States as N48KA and later N81LF between 1973 and 1988. The aircraft was first registered in the UK as G-PEAL on 11 May 1988. It was sold on to a new owner (the 2nd, still retaining the marks G-PEAL) on 14 March 1989 and the 3rd owner (still as G-PEAL) on 23 January 1992.

G-PEAL was re-registered as G-SKNT on 31 March 2003, and again (still as G-SKNT) on 22 October 2008. After the incident at Kenwick on 17 March 2017, the aircraft was re-registered as G-OPTZ soon after, on 13 September 2017. As at 26 August 2016, still as G-SKNT, this aircraft had accumulated a total of 1,820 flying hours on the airframe. It is possible that G-SKNT/G-OPTZ has been withdrawn from use, as the Certificate of Airworthiness was cancelled/expired on 26 August 2017 and a "No Flight" declaration is in place dated 13 August 2021.

The most recent photo of this aircraft was at Sherburn in Elmet, North Yorkshire on 13th January 2024 as a stripped airframe, undergoing a rebuild.

Pitts S-2A G-SKNT 20 August 2014:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Mar-2017 23:44	Geno	Added
18-Mar-2017 10:21	Aerossurance	Updated [Location]
18-Mar-2017 10:43	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code]
18-Mar-2017 11:04	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, Narrative]
18-Mar-2017 11:12	Iceman 29	Updated [Time, Location, Embed code, Narrative, Photo, ]
20-Mar-2017 01:28	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Location, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
20-Mar-2017 01:43	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
20-Mar-2017 01:46	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
20-Mar-2017 03:13	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
10-Aug-2017 18:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-May-2024 05:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]