A pilot and three passengers escaped injury when their aircraft made an emergency landing in a field near Leicester Airport. The incident happened as the Cessna aircraft was approaching the airfield in Stoughton, near Market Harborough last summer.
The 68-year-old pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in neighbouring Little Stretton after experiencing engine issues at around 6pm on Tuesday, July 30. Investigators from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have revealed the nose wheel collapsed on impact, but all occupants emerged unharmed.
A report into the incident has now been released, with the AAIB confirming throttle problems were to blame. The pilot had 456 hours of flying experience at the time of the incident.
READ MORE: ‘Long overdue’ v ‘no thank you’: Readers react to Leicester border expansion plan
The AAIB investigation found the pilot had been near Leicester Airport when the problems began. In its report, the body said: “As he adjusted the throttle to reduce speed, there was a disproportionate drop in engine speed to idle.”
They added: “He immediately set best glide speed, checked the fuel system settings and tank quantity, and found all were satisfactory. The pilot had no response from the engine to any throttle movements, and observed that the throttle handle felt ‘stiff and notchy’.”
Investigators concluded that stiffness in the throttle mechanism had restricted the cable movement. “Its stiffness and effect on the throttle cable was therefore the most likely cause of the power loss,” the report added.
Speaking to LeicestershireLive the day after the incident, the pilot said: “It wasn’t scary, because I’ve trained for this scenario. I just went into that mode and got it down safely. You train for these situations, and then it just kicks in. There were no injuries at all. It was just a forced landing.”
The pilot added: “It was just engine failure and I had to put it down. There’s no story to tell, really. It’s one of those things.”
We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first