Diamond DV-20 Katana G-BWFW near Cautley Crag, Howgills.
During the morning of 15th September 1996 this aircraft left Kirkbride airfield near Carlisle with the pilot and his passenger planning on
flying to Leeds-Bradford airport. The weather conditions were good and after taking off it was planned that a passenger, who was a student pilot
would take over the controls. Whilst in the area to the north of Sedbergh the aircraft turned into a valley with a large hill at the head of
this valley some two miles away, the student was by now at the controls. The qualified pilot then instructed his student to climb but noticed
the rate of climb was not going to be enough to avoid the high ground fast approaching. He took control but the aircraft could not climb anymore.
He opted to deliberately stall the aircraft onto the ground at 09.30hrs. It was thought that the aircraft had been caught in a severe down draft.
The crew of a rescue helicopter were able to confirm this. The aircraft was written off as a result of damage sustained in this incident.
Pilot - Mr Steven Hackett, aged 26, of Leeds, Yorkshire. Slightly injured.
Passenger - Ms Hannah Hodgson, aged 18, of Harrogate, Yorkshire. Slightly injured.
The aircraft was first registered in the UK in 1995 and based at Staverton, Gloucestershire. It was then registered to an Austrian company in February 1996 who had their offices at Wiener Neustadt. If it was based in Austria then the city had a civilian airfield and it was probably based at Wiener Neustadt East Airport. It is believed to have been written off as a result of the damage sustained in the accident on 15th September 1996 but the paperwork was done later in January 1997.