Stalled during take-off, Hilversum aerodrome
On 15 December 2018 the pilot – being the only occupant – took off from Hilversum aerodrome for a local pleasure flight. The home-built single engine tail wheel aircraft, type Europa Aviation Limited Europa, demonstrated a steep climb angle during the initial climb and stalled at low height with a wing drop. The crash was fatal and the aircraft was destroyed.
Human factor
The aircraft crashed because it stalled at low height as a result of an overly high pitch attitude, followed by a left wing drop. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, which was not survivable for the pilot.
The physical condition of the pilot, the centre of gravity, the take-off configuration of the flaps, engine frame and engine settings, and the state of the flight control systems can all be excluded as factors that adversely affected pitch control. The tailplane trim was found in the full aircraft nose-down position. This is an incorrect trim position for take-off, which made it difficult to control the pitch during a critical phase of flight. The cause of the full aircraft nose-down trim position could not be determined with certainty, but a technical anomaly in the trim indicator (shifted needle position over the scale) or a human factor (procedure slip or a reading error) are the most likely explanations.
Besides the full report, a Dutch summary of this investigation is available.
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