Date:	Sunday 28 May 2017
Time:	13:00 LT
Type:	Europa
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-NDOL
MSN:	PFA 247-12594
Year of manufacture:	2001
Engine model:	Lycoming O-540-F1B5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Summerley Coal Aston Airfield, Apperknowle, Derbyshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Coal Aston Airport (EGCA)
Destination airport:	Coal Aston Airport (EGCA)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On 28 May 2017, Europa G-NDOL was destroyed in an accident. The light aircraft crashed in a field near Summerley Coal Aston Airfield, Apperknowle, Derbyshire. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Although the pilot was recorded alive, but in critical condition, he died later in hospital (this was confirmed by Police at 18:00LT).

The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an extract from the AAIB Report:

"At about 11:56 hrs, the pilot started another takeoff from Runway 29. Witnesses alongside the runway, approximately three-quarters along its length, saw the aircraft lift off and start to climb. However, the aircraft did not appear to them to be climbing as well as they expected and it was still quite low, estimated at 100 ft to 150 ft, when it passed in front of them. As the aircraft passed by, they heard the engine noise reduce; one person suggested the engine sounded as though it had reduced to about 4,000 rpm, and another that the engine was sputtering.

The witnesses saw the aircraft start a left turn at the end of the runway and continue in a left turn before descending in a steep nose-down attitude out of sight. Moments later they heard a “thud” as it struck the ground.

Other witnesses were in a house to the south of the airfield. Through a ground floor window, they saw the aircraft pass across their field of view, flying very low and in a banked attitude. They then heard the sound of a crash, and immediately alerted the emergency services and ran across to the accident site.

They reached the aircraft but were unable to assist the pilot who had not survived the impact. The emergency services were at the scene within approximately 7 minutes.

The accident site was located in a field approximately 200 metres south of the runway at Coal Aston Airfield. The aircraft was inverted and the evidence indicated it had struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. The ground was hard; a thin layer of turf covered a hard stone sublayer. In addition to the main fuselage impact point, a clear mark in the ground was made by the leading edges of the wings.

The main wreckage came to rest approximately 19 m from the initial impact marks. Most of the wreckage was within the area between the main wreckage and the ground marks. A notable exception was a substantial piece of a propeller blade which was found approximately 39 metres from the initial impact point and perpendicular to the wreckage trail. There was no fire.

=AAIB Conclusion=
The aircraft suffered a partial loss of power shortly after takeoff, probably as a result of fuel vapour disrupting the fuel supply to the engine. The likelihood of vapour lock was increased by the incorrect routing of the vapour return line into the fuel selector valve rather than the fuel tank. The pilot attempted a left turn downwind at low level, possibly intending to return to land at the airfield. The aircraft stalled in the turn at a height from which a recovery would not have been possible.

=Safety action=
The AAIB discussed the investigation findings with the LAA and the LAA took the following action: On 19 July 2017 the LAA issued Airworthiness Information Leaflet LAA/MOD/247/010. This required a mandatory inspection, before next flight, of all Europa aircraft operating under an LAA administered Permit to Fly. The
inspection was to check for the correct installation of a fuel vapour return line. Details can be found on the LAA website

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Aircraft destroyed". The CAA agreed with this conclusion, and the registration G-NDOL was cancelled (with the airframe being de-registered) on 8 February 2018 as "destroyed".

Coal Aston Airfield also known as Apperknowle Airstrip, is located 4 Nautical Miles North of Chesterfield, Derbyshire and 5.8 miles (9.3 km; 5.0 nautical miles) south of Sheffield, South Yorkshire

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/59e9f10bed915d6aadcdaf39/Europa_G-NDOL_11-17.pdf
2. https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/derbyshire-plane-crash-light-aircraft-comes-down-in-field-1-8567143
3. https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/derbyshire-plane-crash-police-confirm-death-of-pilot-1-8567514
4. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pilot-dies-after-small-plane-10520160
5. https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/plane-crashes-in-derbyshire/story-30358554-detail/story.html
6. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-40076366
7. http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/News-and-Appeals/News/2017/May/28-May-Pilot-dies-following-light-aircraft-crash.aspx
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_Aston_Airfield

This Europa was built in 1995, and was first registered (in advance, while under construction) on 30 November 1993 as G-NDOL. The aircraft was sold on to its 2nd owner on 13 August 1997, then to its 3rd (and ultimately final) owner on 28 July 2014. As at 7 July 2016, G-NDOL had accumulated a total of 756 flying hours on the airframe.

Due to the accident at Apperknowle on 28 May 2017 the registration G-NDOL was cancelled (with the airframe being de-registered) on 8 February 2018 as "destroyed". The registered owner\'s addressee status is noted by the CAA as \'Deceased\' indicating that the pilot/owner was the fatality.

Europa fatal accident, 28 May 17 https://t.co/J5iuqcHHHj pic.twitter.com/iXjEPuPzb7

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) November 9, 2017

We're at the scene of an incident where a small plane has crashed near Summerley Airfield. One injured & surrounding roads are closed.

— Derbyshire Police (@DerbysPolice) May 28, 2017

The AAIB has sent a team to Apperknowle, Derbyshire to investigate a light aircraft accident

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) May 28, 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-May-2017 17:16	Aerossurance	Added
28-May-2017 17:18	Aerossurance	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
28-May-2017 17:43	gerard57	Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Embed code, Narrative]
28-May-2017 18:00	FERRYSEA	Updated [Source]
28-May-2017 19:02	FERRYSEA	Updated [Aircraft type]
28-May-2017 20:00	Geno	Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source]
28-May-2017 20:30	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
29-May-2017 06:53	FERRYSEA	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source]
29-May-2017 06:54	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
29-May-2017 07:04	Aerossurance	Updated [Time, Narrative]
29-May-2017 14:06	Chieftain	Updated [Destination airport]
09-Nov-2017 16:19	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Narrative]
10-Nov-2017 21:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
24-May-2024 17:16	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]