Winda factorin aircraft crash: report

Crash investigators said an increase in wind speed contributed to an aircraft crashing in a Moray field.

The single-propeller plane came to rest upside down in earth at Shempston Airfield, near Lossiemouth, in February.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have revealed a change in the weather conditions may have contributed to the crash.

Elgin-based Vic Flett, who runs Sound & Vision music shop in the town, aborted three attempts to land the plane.

On the fourth attempt the plane touched down later than normal on the grass runway, which resulted in a “high groundspeed” combined with

“Duringthe flightthewind increasedto about13knots”

the tailwind.

The Societe Aeronautique Normande Jodel D117 aircraft, which dated to 1957, came to rest upside down in a ploughed field.

Rescuers helped Mr Flett, who was 68 at the time of the crash, out of the plane. He was treated for a minor back injury at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin and allowed home that day.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch report said the plane was damaged beyond repair.

Investigators concluded: “The aircraft overran the runway into a ploughed field causing the aircraft to come to rest inverted.

“The wind increased to about 13 knots. The touchdown on the fourth approach was later than normal which, combined with the tailwind component, resulted in a higher ground-speed.

“The aircraft wheel brakes are not normally used for landing deceleration and the pilot was unable to stop before running off the end of the runway.”