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INCIDENT REPORTS


In too deep


CESSNA U206C SUPER SKYWAGON STRATHALLAN AERODROME, AUCHTERARDER, TAYSIDE 24 NOVEMBER 2018


The pilot, who had conducted about 1,000 landings at the airfield in this type, was transporting four skydivers for a jump. The grass runway was 620 metres long with a fence at either end and a road passing near the threshold. Due to cloud the jump was cancelled, and the pilot returned with the skydivers onboard. The wind was calm and the pilot reported that, on reflection, his approach was too high and too fast. He touched down just over halfway down the runway and hit


hard, causing the aircraft to bounce. He initiated a go-around but the Cessna struck a wooden fence at the end of the runway, damaging the cowling, propeller and horizontal stabiliser. Despite


this he climbed away and landed on the second attempt. The pilot said he had got into the habit of consistently approaching high to that runway because there were often people walking along the road near the threshold. He considered he had probably been consistently landing a “bit too deep” each time on that runway. On this occasion he was heavier than normal with four skydivers onboard, the wind was calm and he probably touched down further along than normal. He hadn’t appreciated how far along the runway he had touched down until he saw the ground marks afterwards. He realised with hindsight that he should have


Carb heat conundrum


GRUMMAN AA-5 TRAVELLER NOTTINGHAM CITY AIRPORT 30 JANUARY 2019


Cloud issues


BELL 206B3 JET RANGER III NEAR ALDBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE 30 MAY 2018


The pilot was flying from Husthwaite to Walton Wood Airfield. The weather was challenging with low cloud and reduced visibility. The helicopter was seen flying normally before climbing steeply into cloud. It then emerged, rotated through 540°, descended rapidly and hit the ground where it inverted and caught fire. The pilot was fatally injured. No evidence of pre-existing defects were found on the helicopter and it couldn’t be determined why it had entered cloud, but it is probable that the pilot was distracted or became disorientated in the poor weather. After entering the cloud it’s likely that the pilot became spatially disorientated and lost control. The accident highlights the importance of pre-flight risk assessments and the hazard of flying helicopters in poor weather without adequate recency and experience.


Despite extensive use of carburettor heat prior to take-off in high relative humidity, the Grumman’s engine made two popping sounds at 150ft and the rpm rapidly reduced to zero. The instructor immediately took


control, turned away from houses and carried out a forced landing into a field next to the airport. The landing gear sank into the soft ground on the roll and the aircraft sustained extensive damage. Neither occupant was injured. Despite the extensive use of carburettor heat, the instructor considered that icing might have caused the engine to stop, but he couldn’t rule out other possible causes.


SUMMER 2019 CLUED UP 35


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