The pilot of a Piper Super Cub PA18-150 (G-CUBX) had insufficient aerodynamic control due to lack of speed to counteract a left hand divergence after taking off from Croft Farm Airstrip (Defford Airfield) near Worcester leading to a fatal crash on the 27th August 2024.
According to the report by the Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) the Piper aircraft took off at 34 knots, which was described as “relatively low” before diverging left towards ground obstacles.
Witnesses to the accident describe the aircraft entering a steep nose up attitude in an apparent attempt to clear the obstacles but at the apogee of the flight, the aircraft hit a tree causing it to nose dive into the group fatally injuring the pilot who was the sole occupant.
The AAIB was not able to establish why the aircraft diverged to the left but suggested it may have been as a result of torque reaction. This is where the rotary movenment of the propellor induces roll to the aircraft.
No mechanical faults were found with the aircraft prior to the accident so the conclusion was that due to the low speed the pilot had insufficient aerodynamic control to to counter the divergence. As the aircraft was in a turn this would have compromised the climb rate leaving it unable to clear the obstacles, particularly the tree the aircraft struck.
The pilot, who was 65, had over 1,500 flying hours.
The full report can be found here https://dft-newsroom.prgloo.com/resources/1fvba-rp65r-3blp5-lukyq-6r8y9
