A homebuilt light aircraft crashed while on approach to Gloucestershire Airport after suffering from engine power loss. According to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report [PDF, via BBC], the incident occurred when a 3D-printed plastic air induction elbow “softened and collapsed” as the Cozy Mk IV was coming in for a landing. The pilot realized this when he tried to add power while on final, as the engine failed to respond to his input. With the aircraft’s air intake practically blocked, it suffered from a complete loss of power, resulting in the plane landing short of the runway.
“He managed to fly over a road and a line of bushes on the airfield boundary, but landed short and struck the instrument landing system because coming to rest at the side of the structure,” said the AAIB report. The pilot reportedly acquired the 3D-printed part at an air show in the U.S., but it’s unclear whether he acquired it from a licensed dealer.
