What happened
On April 26, 2008, a Cessna 172K, registration EI-BPL, was performing circuit practice at Shannon Airport. The pilot, a student holding a Student Pilots Licence, had recently finished a solo navigation exercise and was conducting maneuvers on Runway 24. The weather conditions at the time featured winds from 260 to 270 degrees at approximately 9 to 10 knots.
After successfully completing three touch-and-go landings, the pilot attempted a fourth landing. During this final approach, the aircraft bounced several times on the runway surface. This sequence of bounces resulted in the pilot losing directional control of the aircraft. The Cessna 172K subsequently drifted off the left side of the runway, coming to rest in a grass area roughly 30 meters from the edge of the paved surface.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft exited the runway during the fourth landing attempt of the session. Following the excursion, Air Traffic Control notified the Airport Fire Services, who arrived at the scene promptly. The investigation confirmed that there was no fire and no injuries to the pilot. Furthermore, no damage was reported to the aircraft.
Because the aircraft remained within the active flight strip for Runway 24, the incident had operational consequences for the airport. Air Traffic Control was required to place several incoming commercial flights into holding patterns, leading to delays in landings. The aircraft was eventually recovered to the runway by the Airport Fire Services and later moved to the light aircraft parking area.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the loss of directional control following multiple bounces during the landing phase.
- The incident caused temporary disruptions to airport operations, specifically delaying several commercial arrivals.
- The aircraft, EI-BPL, sustained no structural damage during the event.