What happened
During an approach and landing at Cascais aerodrome, a Beechcraft 18 experienced a series of uncontrolled movements on the runway. The aircraft touched down with such speed and attitude that it bounced on the first contact. Following a second touchdown, the aircraft entered a divergent dynamic, oscillating left and right. This sequence resulted in a runway excursion to the left, where the aircraft performed a ground loop, rotating approximately 220 degrees from its initial heading. During this excursion, the right wingtip of the Beechcraft 18 struck a Cessna 152 that was holding on the taxiway awaiting takeoff for an instructional flight.
Both crews were uninjured in the event. The Beechcraft 18 sustained damage to its rear fuselage, vertical stabilizers, and rudders after the tail wheel collapsed upon striking the edge of the taxiway. The right landing gear braking system also sustained damage from ground contact. The Cessna 152 suffered substantial damage to its left wing and the cockpit area of the fuselage.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft condition, crew data, and environmental factors at the time of the event. 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 runway excursion.
Environmental conditions at the time of landing included a cloudy sky and a wind from 290 degrees at 09 knots, which created an 8-knot right crosswind component for runway 17. The investigation also noted that the 57-year-old pilot had not operated this specific aircraft model since 2018.