Overview
- The engine lost power when the pilot advanced the throttle for a planned go‑around about 500 feet on final approach to Gloucestershire Airport, leading to an off‑runway landing.
- The Cozy Mk IV struck the ILS localiser, the aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot sustained minor injuries.
- AAIB found a plastic, 3D‑printed air‑induction elbow had softened and collapsed from engine‑bay heat, severely restricting airflow.
- Laboratory testing showed the part’s glass transition temperature was far lower than expected and the piece lacked the aluminum reinforcement specified in the aircraft plans.
- The component was bought at a U.S. airshow and installed during a 2019–2022 fuel‑injection modification that had LAA approval, but it was not listed on the parts sheet, and the LAA now intends to issue an ‘LAA Alert’ and update guidance on 3D‑printed components.