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Pilot Incapacitated? Plane Crashed Six Seconds After Takeoff
16 Jul
Summary
- Pilot may have been incapacitated during takeoff, report suggests.
- Aircraft experienced a sharp right yaw before crashing.
- Pilot had extensive experience but also a history of heart issues.
An 81-year-old pilot tragically lost his life when his light aircraft crashed six seconds after takeoff at the Scottish Gliding Centre in Kinross. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) released a report indicating the pilot might have been incapacitated during the critical moments of the flight.
Investigators found no mechanical or technical defects that would have caused the accident. The aircraft, a two-seater single-engine plane built in 1988, yawed sharply to the right shortly after lifting off. It then entered a descending turn, leading to the crash in an adjacent field approximately 95 meters from the runway.
The pilot, who possessed extensive flying experience, had a known history of a heart attack and Type 2 diabetes. However, the post-mortem examination did not confirm a definitive cause of incapacitation. Pathologists noted the possibility of a cardiac arrhythmia, suggesting that partial or complete incapacitation could have occurred, preventing the pilot from maintaining control.
