ForumGarden

Not something one gets called upon to do every day...Emergency services are this morning (Saturday) attending an incident at Sandown Airport, where a plane has crashed into a field.

[...] Island Echo understands the pilot, who flew into Sandown Airport last night, was pulled from the wreckage of his light aircraft by members of the public moments before it burst into flames.

PLANE CRASH AT SANDOWN AIRPORT - Island Echo - 24hr news, 7 days a week across the Isle of Wight

The rescue was indeed brave. Imagine being in that fairly dry grass, with aviation fuel spilling out of the tank, possibly into the grass around you, just waiting to ignite...

Those members of the public deserve public commendation. Of course, the question on peoples minds will be "I wonder what caused the plane to come down?"

The report sounded like a power failure during takeoff, I thought.

If that's the case, it sounds like a mechanical or fuel problem. If he was at full throttle, he shouldn't have had a problem with the carburettor icing up, unless he suddenly throttled down for some reason. I must point out that throttle controls on light aircraft can be a bit 'Heath-Robinson', so-to-speak, often like a large choke lever, with a knurled ring that tightens against it to prevent movement, though these have been known to slip, resulting in sudden temporary power-loss.

This happened to me once not very long after takeoff, though fortunately with no ill consequences. Quite alarming, though, as the almost-closed venturi can ice up very quickly even in hot weather, with the resulting power-loss, or worse, engine stoppage resulting in a possible forced-landing or crash!

The other possibilities could be bird-strike or pilot error, but I guess we'll have to await the findings to be certain.