Plane written off after take-off bid from the A6105 in Borders ends in a hedge

A PILOT who tried to take off in his light aircraft from a public road in the Borders ended up on top of a hedge.

The crash on the A6105 near Duns in March is described in an Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) report.

He was flying from Sherburn in Elmet airfield in Yorkshire to Perth on March 3 when he met “deteriorating weather” as he crossed the border into Scotland and made a precautionary landing in a field.

He descended to get clear of cloud and landed in a field near Duns.

He secured the aircraft and informed police and the landowner he would return to fly it out of the field.

However, low cloud persisted and when the pilot returned two days later he found the area “very boggy”.

A number of local residents were sent to close the A6105 to traffic and he then attempted to take to the air after pacing out 760 yards of straight road.

However, just as the aircraft hit take-off speed, a strong gust of wind blew it to the left and its right wing hit the road.

The left wing then hit a hedge, causing it to rotate 180 degrees and end up on top of another hedge.

The aircraft, an EV-97 Teameurostar, was damaged beyond repair in the accident and the pilot suffered minor injuries.

The AAIB report said neither Scottish Borders Council nor the police had been informed of the take-off attempt.

It added that the A6105 was “not adequate” for use by aircraft and by failing to seek permission the pilot could not assess the wider safety implications of his actions.

It praised his decision to make the original precautionary landing but said if he had observed all regulations and guidance on his return it was “probable” the accident would have been avoided.