Cockpit panel broke during Northamptonshire flight

11 November 2023

Picture showing a worn area of the bonding between the panel and the support frame

AAIB Picture of plastic frame showing worn areas of seal bean bonding — Picture showing a worn area of the bonding between the panel and the support frame

A cockpit panel broke off during a training flight, a report has found.

The incident happened on 23 April at Deenethorpe Airfield near Corby in Northamptonshire.

The two people on board the Pierre Robin R2160 light aircraft at the time were not injured and the aircraft landed safely.

The report said that the panel was made out of a plastic which "does not tolerate adverse loads".

The Air Accidents Investigations Branch has released the results of its inquiry into the incident, which involved a 43-year-old plane manufactured in France.

Deenethorpe Airfield is marked by a memorial to the 401st Bombardment Group of the US Air Force

Google Small inscribed stone surrounded by hedge. There are three flags around the memorial on the edge of an airfield. — Deenethorpe Airfield is marked by a memorial to the 401st Bombardment Group of the US Air Force

During the aerobatic training flight, the plane began turning while travelling at 100 knots (115mph).

As the aircraft reached an angle of 60 degrees, a transparent panel over the rear of the cockpit came off and fell away from the plane, leaving that section of the cockpit open to the elements.

Neither the 48-year-old pilot nor his trainee were injured but the plane sustained minor damage to the right wing, flap and rear fuselage.

The plane involved in the accident, a Piper Pierre R2160

eLaReF Black light plane with yellow trim and sheet over the cockpit — The plane involved in the accident, a Piper Pierre R2160

The panels on the plane were attached to the fuselage with sealing adhesive, with screws in place to secure the panel.

When the panel broke off, jagged edge pieces remained attached to the fuselage with the adhesive bond and screws still in place.

The report said it was not clear why the panel had started to come off, although it was likely that the bond on the panel where it attached to the hoop frame had failed.

When the plane was flying, this caused an upward force which opened a gap allowing air to flow between the frame and panel, causing it to break, the report concluded.