ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 244694
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| Date: | Saturday 16 February 1991 |
| Time: | 16:17 |
| Type: |  QAC Quickie Q2 |
| Owner/operator: | Paul Martin Wright |
| Registration: | G-BPMW |
| MSN: | PFA 094A-10790 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Kempshott, near Basingstoke, Hampshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Southampton Airport, Southampton, Hampshire |
| Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, Surrey | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
QAC Quickie Q2, G-BPMW, was substantially damaged on 16 February 1991 on a test flight from Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, Southampton, Hampshire. The final AAIB report into the incident was published on 10 December 2014
On the morning of 16 February 1991 QAC Quickie G-BPMW had undertaken an air test at Southampton Airport. I do not know, but suspect, that this may have been consequent upon the completion of repairs to the aircraft necessitated as a result of Grumman AA-5 G-PURR having taxied into and damaged the engine cowling of it at Blackbushe Airport on 11 May 1990. Later that day the Quickie took off from Southampton to fly back to Blackbushe. At 1800 feet and approaching Basingstoke, the Quickie's engine stopped. The pilot put out a distress call and selected a large field, at Kempshott on the outskirts of Basingstoke, in which to make a forced landing. He made a successful 'three point' landing in the field and, initially, the landing roll was uneventful. Then, as its speed was reducing, the Quickie encountered damp, soft ground. Its main wheels dug in and, presumably the propeller dug in, its progress was arrested and it turned onto its back. Initially the pilot, who had released himself from his harness whilst inverted, could not open the canopy or smash it and was trapped in the aircraft. This then required the pilot to think outside the box. What he did is well described in the AAIB report as follows:
'He then managed to release the canopy latches at each side and, by lying on his back, pushed the airframe upwards with his legs. This enabled him to crawl clear through the gap between the canopy and the fuselage longeron, a feat which he accomplished within approximately 30 seconds of the aircraft coming to rest.'
The pilot escaped without injury. He was 35 years old and, one presumes, fit and strong. I bet he kept up the gym subscription after this incident! The cause of it was attributed to a double magneto failure, although a bench test of the engine had not been performed at the time the AAIB report was published. As to the Quickie, this was severely damaged - the rear and canard wings, cowling and propeller were destroyed; the rear fuselage was badly damaged; and the canopy was damaged. One might think that such extensive damage would have rendered the Quickie beyond economic repair. But no, its registration was maintained, it was sold on twice subsequently and it is current on the register today.
Indeed, the history of this aircraft appears to be as follows:
04/01/1985: First registered (C of R 5654) as G-OICI to Quickie Aircraft (Europe) Ltd., Baginton, Coventry
13/09/1989: Registration changed to G-BPMW upon sale to Peter Martin Wright, London SW16
16/02/1991: Substantially damaged in an accident as per the above
19/11/1992: Registration G-BPMW cancelled as registered owner "gone away"
19/11/1992: Registration restored (same day) to a new owner in Gillingham, Kent
08/03/1999; Registration restored to previous owner, Peter Martin Wight, who had moved to Ipswich, Suffolk
Aircraft still currently registered in 2020, although airworthiness status unknown. The reported crash location of Kempshott is a ward of Basingstoke, on the western edge of the town, to the south of Pack Lane (part of the Harrow Way) and north of Winchester Road at approximate coordinates 51.244°N 1.140°W
Sources:
1. CAA: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54230084ed915d1374000a51/QAC_Quickie_Q2__G-BPMW_04-91.pdf
2. Accident involving G-PURR 11 May 1990: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f14040f0b61342000317/Grumman_AA-5A__G-PURR_and_QAC_Quickie_Q2__G-BPMW_09-90.pdf
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-OICI.pdf
4. Quickie Q2 at Cranfield Airport (EGTC) in September 1990: https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000437843.html
5. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1052707
6. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17742.0
7. http://www.quickheads.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&Itemid=265&id=1567
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempshott
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Nov-2020 02:31 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 07-Nov-2020 02:33 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Nature, Narrative] |
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