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 high speed and attitude that it bounced on the first 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, rotating approximately 220 degrees from its original heading.
During this excursion, the right wingtip of the Beechcraft 18 struck a Cessna 152 that was holding on the taxiway, waiting to line up for an instructional flight. 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 its fuselage. Both crews were uninjured.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the environmental factors, and the pilot's recent flight 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 meteorological conditions, noting a reported wind of 290/09kt, which provided an 8-knot right crosswind component for runway 17.
Findings
- The pilot had not operated this specific aircraft model since 2018.
- The aircraft's landing was characterized by inadequate piloting technique involving excessive directional correction (PIO).
- A contributing factor was the pilot's reduced proficiency in the aircraft model relative to the reported wind conditions.