Retford Gamston Airport: Passenger suffers minor injures in plane clash

The pilot walked away from the crash unscathed

A passenger walked away with minor injuries after the plane he was travelling in crash landed when it experienced engine failure mid-flight.

The training flight saw the aeroplane land upside down in a field four miles from Retford Gamston Airport, Nottinghamshire on 1 August 2021.

It was returning from the Humber Bridge, near Hull, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.

The pilot was uninjured, but the plane suffered "significant damage".

'Mayday'

An investigation found the engine of the plane, a Reims Cessna FRA150M, failed when "the number three cylinder and piston broke free from the engine", according to the AAIB's report.

It added: "The aircraft's engine started to "run 'rough" [near] Retford Gamston Airport. A carburettor heat check was carried out at which point the pilot noticed that part of the right engine cowling was protruding outwards.

"Shortly afterwards, 'control of engine power was lost' and the engine stopped. A mayday call was transmitted on Gamston's radio frequency and a forced landing was made."

The 21-year-old commercial pilot, who was in a private aircraft manufactured in 1976, had 534 hours of flying experience, the report said.