Piper Super Cub v Combine Harvester in Fife, Scotland

[sitigeltfel]

Mr Russell was coming in to land on his own private airstrip when his aircraft – a Piper Super Cub – is thought to have clipped a combine harvester, crashed and flipped over.https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/471536/police-probe-light-aircraft-crash-lands-fife-field-articleisfree/ (https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/471536/police-probe-light-aircraft-crash-lands-fife-field-articleisfree/)

[airpolice]

From the AAIB report:



Persons on Board: Crew - 1 Passengers - None
Injuries: Crew - 1 (Serious) Passengers - N/A
Nature of Damage: Extensive
Commander’s Licence: Private Pilot’s Licence
Commander’s Age: 75 years
Commander’s Flying Experience: 1,059 hours (of which 584 were on type)
Last 90 days - 7 hours
Last 28 days - 2 hours

Information Source: Aircraft Accident Report Form submitted by the
pilot

The pilot took off from the farm strip, which he has flown from for 23 years, to prepare for a skills test to revalidate his licence.


I read this today and I can't get my head around it. If his licence only needed re-validated, why would he be sitting a Skills Test rather than a Proficiency Check?

Revalidation
To revalidate the rating you must complete the following:

Pass a proficiency check in a single-engine (single-pilot) aeroplane with an examiner.

[this is my username]

Report written by a PPL holder, few of whom know or care about the difference between a skills test and a proficiency check.

Report validated by an ATPL-holder who may not have an instructor or examiner qualification and may not be very familiar with the world of light aviation and the nuances of skills test vs proficiency check.