Date:	Monday 23 January 2017
Time:	16:00
Type:	SAN DR.100A Ambassadeur
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-BFBA
MSN:	88
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dunkeswell Aerodrome, Honiton, Devon -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Dunkeswell Airport (EGTU)
Destination airport:	Dunkeswell Airport (EGTU)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Jodel DR100A Ambassadeur, G-BFBA: Substantially damaged in a Ground loop on landing, Dunkeswell Aerodrome, Honiton, Devon, 23 January 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report

"During the seventh touch-and-go landing of a familiarisation flight, the handling pilot lost control as power was applied during the landing/takeoff roll, which resulted in the aircraft ground looping on the paved runway at Dunkeswell. The landing gear collapsed, which allowed the propeller to strike the ground, and the aircraft came to a stop.

The handling pilot, who had no previous experience of tailwheel aircraft, had recently purchased the aircraft and this was his third flight with an LAA inspector who was experienced on type. The inspector had previously inspected the aircraft and, prior to the handling pilot taking time with an instructor, offered some familiarisation flights to the handling pilot of which the accident flight was the third. The handling pilot sat in the right seat for the first flight (general handling), and in the left seat for the other two during which circuits were flown. Some of these circuits were flown by the handling pilot.

The inspector stated that, prior to these flights, the handling pilot was fully aware that he was not an instructor (such as an LAA Coach), and the handling pilot was under the impression that the inspector would be PIC (Pilot in Command). The handling pilot was also aware that he would have an opportunity to handle the aircraft during the flights. However, as PIC but not an instructor, the inspector would have been unable to offer any instruction to the handling pilot during these flights. Consequently, as the handling pilot was not being trained nor PIC (so was effectively a passenger for these flights), he would have been unable to log hours for any of these flights

=AAIB Conclusion=
The handling pilot had no previous experience of tailwheel/dragger aircraft and the accident occurred whilst carrying out familiarisation training, but this was not with an instructor. This event has highlighted that, when converting to another variant of an aircraft than the one used for the skill test, pilots must undertake appropriate training with an instructor, guidance for which can be found in the Winter 2016 edition of the CAA’s GA safety publication ‘Clued Up’

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report, damage was sustained to "Landing gear and propeller". The aircraft seems not to have been repaired and returned to service after the above incident at Dunkeswell on 23 January 2017 (no photographs have been found of the aircraft after July 2016). The next known event involving this aircraft was that the registration G-BFBA was cancelled by the CAA (and the airframe de-registered) on 24 February 2021

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/595e406fe5274a0a69000138/Jodel_DR100A_Ambassadeur_G-BFBA_08-17.pdf
2. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-BFBA/914181
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BFBA.pdf
4. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-BFBA.html
5. http://www.avions-jodel.de/Privat/Jodel/jodel_dr100_series_list.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkeswell_Aerodrome

This Jodel DR100A Ambassadeur was built in 1959, and first registered in France as F-BIVU in September 1959. The aircraft was first registered in the UK as G-BFBA on 12 September 1977. Between September 1977 and January 2017, G-BFBA went through the hands of ten owners, the last being on 24 January 2017 (the day after the above incident!).

G-BFBA had accumulated a total of 3236 flying hours on the airframe as at 12 May 2016. The aircraft seems not to have been repaired and returned to service after the above incident at Dunkeswell on 23 January 2017 (no photographs have been found of the aircraft after July 2016). The next known event involving this aircraft was that the registration G-BFBA was cancelled by the CAA (and the airframe de-registered) on 24 February 2021

Jodel DR100A Ambassadeur G-BFBA at LAA Rally, Sywell, Northamptonshire (ORM/EGBK) 31 August 2013:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-May-2024 06:27	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-May-2024 06:29	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, Accident report]
16-May-2024 12:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]