Pilot who died moments after plane took off may have been incapacitated – report

A pilot who died last year after his aircraft crashed moments after take-off may well have been incapacitated, according to expert analysis.

The 81-year-old unnamed pilot died on October 27 after his Jodel D18 aircraft crashed, just six seconds after take-off at the Scottish Gliding Centre, Kinross.

A report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), released on Thursday, said the pilot had some 700 hours of flying experience and had been flying since 2006.

It says he previously suffered a heart attack and also lived with type two diabetes.

While it noted the post-mortem examination did not suggest he was partially or wholly incapacitated, it noted he may have experienced a cardiac arrhythmia, which could have caused him to lose control of the aircraft.

An excerpt from the report reads: “Although the post-mortem did not find any evidence of an event that could have caused an incapacitation, the pilot had a number of medical issues, both current and historic.

“The pathologist raised the possibility of a heart arrhythmia, which could have rendered the pilot unable to control the aircraft at a critical moment.

“Given the pilot’s experience both with tailwheel aircraft and on (registration) G-BODT, the flight profile did not match his skill level nor any usual flight profile on take-off.

“However, the yaw of the aircraft to the right on take-off would not occur on an aircraft with a clockwise rotating propeller, such as was fitted to G-BODT, without a pilot input.”

It adds: “Incapacitation can be complete or it can be only partial, leaving a pilot partly aware and capable but not completely able to control or fly an aircraft.

“Given the lack of any technical malfunction that could explain the departure from controlled flight, it is possible that the pilot was incapacitated to some degree and was unable to either stop the aircraft or exert directional control either before or after take-off.”

The report also found nothing wrong with the aircraft itself, which was built in 1988, had 1,888 flying hours, and a valid permit to fly.