According to a report, an aircraft attempting to land at Henstridge Airfield experienced a flip over after colliding with a passing lorry on a nearby road. The incident occurred just after noon on March 2 and involved a small Vans RV-9A aircraft, which ended up upside down on the road. Unfortunately, one of the passengers sustained serious injuries, while the pilot only suffered minor injuries, as stated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
The report from the AAIB revealed that during the final approach to the unlicensed Henstridge Airfield, the aircraft struck a heavy goods vehicle on a road that intersected with the undershoot. As a result, the aircraft inverted and crashed just short of the runway. Although the pilot sustained only minor injuries, the passenger was seriously injured.
Investigations indicated that the aircraft was on a standard approach path when it collided with the lorry. Consequently, the airfield operator has taken measures to increase the distance between the threshold and the end of the runway. This adjustment aims to ensure that aircraft on a standard approach will maintain a higher altitude when crossing the road.
The pilot recollected spotting the vehicle just moments before touchdown, with the right wingtip hitting the rear of the HGV trailer. The report mentioned that the pilot’s memory was limited until realizing the aircraft had flipped over and the canopy was broken. Fortunately, the roll bar behind the seats prevented the cockpit from hitting the ground, ensuring the safety of the occupants. The aircraft harnesses also successfully restrained both the pilot and the passenger.
Following the incident, a car traveling behind the lorry stopped to assist in rescuing the pilot and passenger from the overturned plane. Ambulance crews from the Air Ambulance, which has a base at Henstridge, arrived at the scene. The report stated that there was no fire on the aircraft, and both occupants were taken to the hospital by ambulance. The pilot was released later that evening with minor injuries, while the passenger remained in the hospital for three days due to a broken wrist that required surgery.
The report further noted that the road adjacent to the runway experiences approximately 300 heavy goods vehicle movements daily. The investigation concluded that the pilot would have been unable to see the vehicle due to the road converging with the runway centerline at a shallow angle and the low wing configuration of the aircraft. As the aircraft crossed the road, the pilot had little time to take evasive action upon seeing the lorry in close proximity, resulting in the collision and the aircraft coming down inverted on the road’s edge.
The report acknowledged that the airfield operator has implemented measures to comply with guidelines, despite the fact that it is not required to do so since the airfield is unlicensed.
