What happened
During an approach and landing at Cascais aerodrome, a Beechcraft 18 touched down with excessive speed and an improper aircraft attitude, causing the plane to bounce on the first runway contact. Following a second touchdown, the aircraft entered a divergent dynamic characterized by successive deviations to the left and right. This resulted in a ground loop that sent the aircraft off the left side of the runway. During the excursion, the aircraft's right wingtip struck a Cessna 152 that was holding on the taxiway awaiting takeoff for an instructional flight.
Both crews emerged from the event uninjured. The impact caused the Beechcraft 18's tail wheel to collapse upon striking the edge of the taxiway, leading to damage to the rear fuselage, vertical stabilizers, and rudders. The Cessna 152 sustained substantial damage to its left wing and the cockpit area of the fuselage.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the environmental factors, and the pilot's recent flying history. The investigation noted that while some aircraft components showed signs of degradation due to inactivity or lack of preservation, no mechanical failure was linked to the excursion. The investigation also reviewed the wind conditions at the time of landing, which included an 8-knot right crosswind component (reported as 290/09kt). Additionally, the investigators noted that the pilot had not operated this specific aircraft model since 2018.