Flying car in airport nightmare

Craft went out of control at 8,000ft

It was not designed, tested or built to any recognised standards

ACCIDENT PROBE ON FLYING CAR

A PROTOTYPE flying car went out of control during a demonstration and shot up into a holding area used by airliners at Gatwick Airport.

The unmanned 15-stone craft reached 8,000ft then lost power and nosedived into a field just 40 metres from houses.

A damning report concluded its operators “did not appear to have any knowledge of airworthiness standards”.

Nobody was hurt in the near disaster on July 4,

2019, during the nearby Goodwood Festival of

Speed attended by around 100,000 people.

The Australian Airspeeder Mk2 was on a low-level flight when it did not respond to its ground pilot.

A “kill switch” to shut off the four rotors failed. Some 200 invited guests, mostly on a terrace, were told to take cover.

Goodwood Aerodrome had to warn air traffic controllers that the machine was heading into the holding area for Gatwick Airport flights.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said someone could easily have been killed and slightly stronger winds could have led to it crashing on

Chichester, West Sussex. It blamed “a loss of link” for the crash but why it happened “could not be established”.

The AAIB found the flight of the Airspeeder, built by Australian start-up Alauda Racing, breached conditions. It said the craft “was not designed, built or tested to any recognisable standards”.

Circuit boards had not been properly tested and cable ties could have made the craft uncontrollable if any failed. It also found the control unit from a damaged Airspeeder had been transferred to the craft which crashed.

The AAIB said the Civil Aviation Authority and Airspeeder makers had “introduced measures to address issues”. The report made 15 recommendations. Crispin Orr, chief inspector of the AAIB, said: “This accident demonstrates why it is so important manufacturers, operators and regulators of unmanned aircraft ensure they are airworthy and operated in a safe manner.”

Alauda Racing said: “We have worked with regulators and the appropriate bodies. Recommendations made since have been addressed.”

WRECK Craft hit ground at 60mph

roof

UP AND AWRY Airspeeder before link was lost

Remote pilot and kill switch operator

Spotters

Roof terrace

DOOMED FLIGHT On-board camera records take-off at Goodwood