Mainair Sports Gemini Flash IIA G-MTYZ at Balne.
Earlier in 1989 microlight Gemini Flash G-MTYZ sustained damage to the left wing that occurred during a landing accident. It was owned and registered to Robert Findlow, of Mirfield, and was probably damaged in Yorkshire but when this occurred or what happened is not clear. The microlight was repaired and modified by the owner's instructor but was not flown again prior to the flight that resulted in this fatal crash. On Monday, 24th April 1989 the owner towed the microlight to a field at Walden Stubbs that had been prepared for microlight flying so that it could be test flown. The AAIB accident report is very specific in stating that this flying site was at Walden Stubbs, it also makes no mention to this site being the ex-airfield site at Pollington that had been the former RAF Snaith airfield, some miles to the north east as was claimed elsewhere. Once at the flying site at Walden Stubbs the owner noticed that the instructor's car was parked and a short time later the instructor then landed with his brother in another type of microlight. The instructor's brother was due to take a flying test in a similar microlight so both he and his brother (the instructor) then helped the owner to assemble and rig Gemini Flash G-MTYZ for flight. The instructor then gave the microlight an inspection and the required pre-flight checks so that it could be flown for the test flight. The instructor was decided to take his brother into the air so that he could demonstrate the handling of it and for experience prior to his own flying test. A short time later they took off in G-MTYZ and climbed away. At around 15.00hrs it was seen by farm workers in the Balne area making a series of tight turns and manoeuvres. A loud bang was heard and it was seen to dive into a sugarbeet field near Manor Farm, in the South End area of Balne. It received significant damage and both the men flying with it were killed. A detailed investigation followed and found that structual failure had occurred in the air; the wing was found to have failed in an overload condition, part of the folding structure then hit and broke the propeller. This type of microlight was not suitable for any form of aerobatic flight. While it was seen just before the crash making some tight turns and manoeuvres it could not be determined that these turns were deliberate or were the result of the control being lost during normal turns. The AAIB accident report does not cite the weather as being a factor for the crash occurring despite newspaper reports speculating this may have been the case. The microlight's manufacturer Mainair Sports Ltd suffered two fatal accidents around this time with both the result of structural failures as a result of overloading. The company published letter and bulletins that "www.pmaviation.co.uk" have archived on their website that mention both accidents and with bank and pitch angles specifications being lowered for this type of microlight after the accidents.
Pilot (Instructor) - Mr Paul Bradshaw. Aged 31. Of Allerton Bywater, Leeds. Burial location unknown.
Pilot - Mr Alan Bradshaw. Aged 41. Of Beeston, Leeds. Burial location unknown.