Engine trouble caused aircraft forced landing

The aircraft hit a furrow in a field and was flipped upside down

A microlight aircraft landed upside down in a field after a "probable" fuel problem caused its engine to stall, a report found.

The Flight Design CTSW was five nautical miles from Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire when the pilot made a forced landing, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch report said.

The landing gear collapsed when the plane hit a furrow, flipping the craft.

The two pilots were not hurt but the plane was damaged beyond repair.

The accident happened on 15 September as the pilot and passenger - another qualified pilot - were returning to the airfield after a short flight.

The aircraft was returning to Sywell Aerodrome after flying over Deenethorpe Airfield and Market Harborough

The report stated the engine "coughed" before stopping, forcing the pilot to choose a suitable field in order to land.

However, he had no choice but to make a downwind landing, meaning "the touchdown was at a higher groundspeed than the pilot would have liked".

"The pilot was beginning to apply the brakes gently to avoid locking the wheels when the nose dropped suddenly and the aircraft lurched forward, coming to rest upside down." the report said.

The AAIB said the "cause of the engine failure could not be positively determined".

The report concluded "the failure was probably due to a fuel supply issue".