{"id":"c13322cb-75f9-42db-ba81-60da573362b2","slug":"skyfly-axe-hard-landing-turweston-2025-04-22","kind":"malfunction","headline":"Skyfly Axe VCA prototype G-SFAX suffers hard landing at Turweston Aerodrome during test flight, substantial damage","summary":"On April 22, 2025, the Skyfly Technologies Axe VCA prototype G-SFAX (MSN 001) suffered substantial damage in a hard landing at Turweston Aerodrome, Buckinghamshire, during a test flight. The aircraft suddenly rolled left and pitched down due to loss of power to two motors on the same side, creating thrust asymmetry. The pilot selected all motors to idle to recover controlled flight, then was forced into a glide approach. The aircraft landed hard, short of the runway threshold and close to another aircraft. No injuries reported. AAIB conducted a Record Only investigation. The aircraft was deregistered from the UK (27 June 2025) and transferred to the USA, reportedly repaired/rebuilt as N250EV, and resumed flight testing in the USA from mid-October 2025.","occurredAt":"2025-04-22T00:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"unreviewed","modelId":"a1fd2b41-d91d-4761-bc28-66715e953791","deploymentId":null,"companyId":null,"dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"moderate","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"inquiry_opened","regulatoryBody":"AAIB","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:29.664Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:29.664Z","model":{"id":"a1fd2b41-d91d-4761-bc28-66715e953791","companyId":"54ed0cbe-615f-4a33-ae94-51e344e604c2","modelName":"Axe","slug":"skyfly-axe","description":"Two-seat personal eVTOL Vertically Capable Aircraft (VCA). Takes off vertically (no runway) and cruises like a plane. 8x35kW motors (280kW peak), 5m wingspan, 750kg MTOM, 172kg payload, 100+ miles range, 100 mph cruise speed, 270° cockpit view. Zero operating emissions, quiet takeoff/landing (inaudible from 600m). Reservation £1,000, total ~£150,000.","formFactor":"aerial","industryVertical":null,"environment":null,"maturityStage":"prototype","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{"MTOM":"750kg","Noise":"Inaudible from 600m","Price":"~£150,000 ($180K)","Range":"100+ miles","Motors":"8x 35kW = 280kW peak","Cockpit":"270° view","Payload":"172kg","Capacity":"2 seats","Wingspan":"5m","Emissions":"Zero operating emissions","Cruise speed":"100 mph"},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://skyfly.aero/skyfly-axe-sn001-granted-experimental-permit-by-federal-aviation-administration-to-begin-piloted-flights-in-the-usa/","name":"skyfly.aero","title":"Skyfly Axe SN001 granted Experimental Permit by FAA"},{"url":"https://zagdaily.com/zag-air/faa-clears-skyflys-personal-evtol-for-us-flight-testing/","name":"Zag Daily","title":"FAA clears Skyfly's personal eVTOL for US flight testing"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Range","value":"100+ miles at 100 mph"},{"label":"Power","value":"8x 35kW motors, 280kW peak"},{"label":"Delivery","value":"2027 — orders open"}],"createdAt":"2026-08-17T18:21:40.624Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:43.312Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":null,"company":null,"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"730c283e-284e-4bfa-ad34-3f6e0bc17aba","incidentId":"c13322cb-75f9-42db-ba81-60da573362b2","url":"https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/566810","label":"Aviation Safety Network","publishedAt":"2025-04-22T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"Aviation Safety Network","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:29.664Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:29.664Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"4282e6f9-8076-4f97-b170-138ae529e2ef","incidentId":"c13322cb-75f9-42db-ba81-60da573362b2","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:30.817Z","createdAt":"2026-08-18T02:25:30.817Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/skyfly-axe-hard-landing-turweston-2025-04-22","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/skyfly-axe-hard-landing-turweston-2025-04-22","headline":"Skyfly Axe VCA prototype G-SFAX suffers hard landing at Turweston Aerodrome during test flight, substantial damage","description":"On April 22, 2025, the Skyfly Technologies Axe VCA prototype G-SFAX (MSN 001) suffered substantial damage in a hard landing at Turweston Aerodrome, Buckinghamshire, during a test flight. The aircraft suddenly rolled left and pitched down due to loss of power to two motors on the same side, creating thrust asymmetry. The pilot selected all motors to idle to recover controlled flight, then was forced into a glide approach. The aircraft landed hard, short of the runway threshold and close to another aircraft. No injuries reported. AAIB conducted a Record Only investigation. The aircraft was deregistered from the UK (27 June 2025) and transferred to the USA, reportedly repaired/rebuilt as N250EV, and resumed flight testing in the USA from mid-October 2025.","identifier":"c13322cb-75f9-42db-ba81-60da573362b2","datePublished":"2025-04-22T00:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"malfunction","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":1,"primary_source_types":[]}}}