What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on null involved a aircraft, registration G-CDFE, at IE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft overran the runway and struck a boundary hedge because the damp grass surface prevented effective braking.

Yak-52 Runway Overrun at Ballyboy Airfield

A private flight involving a Yak-52 aircraft resulted in a runway overrun at Ballyboy Airfield due to reduced braking effectiveness on a damp grass surface.

What happened

On the morning of 24 July 2010, a pilot was operating a YAK-52, registration G-CDFE, for a private flight. The aircraft was being positioned from Ballyboy Airfield (EIMH) to Weston Airport for an upcoming airshow briefing. Although the pilot had performed successful familiarization flights the previous evening in dry conditions, deteriorating weather en route—specifically the presence of multiple showers—prompted a decision to abort the trip to Weston and return to the departure airfield.

Upon returning to EIMH, the pilot opted to land on Runway 11. While the approach and touchdown were described as normal, the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently during the landing roll. The aircraft overran the end of the grass runway and struck a boundary hedge at taxi speed. The impact caused minor damage to the aircraft, including a fractured wooden propeller blade and damage to the left wing tip, but the pilot escaped without injury.

The investigation

The AAIU investigation examined the runway conditions, aircraft systems, and meteorological data. Investigators noted that while the aircraft's pneumatic braking system was fully functional and showed no faults, the grass surface was damp due to recent light rainfall and potential morning dew. The investigation also measured the runway, noting a slight downslope in the direction of Runway 11.

Analysis of the aircraft's performance compared the actual landing distance to the manufacturer's specifications. Using UK CAA guidance, which suggests that short, wet, firm grass can increase landing distances by up to 60%, investigators determined that the available runway length was likely insufficient for the specific environmental conditions encountered during the landing.

Findings

The primary cause of the overrun was poor braking action caused by the damp grass runway surface.
A slight downhill gradient on Runway 11 contributed to the difficulty in stopping the aircraft.
A minimal headwind component (approximately 2.5 knots) further reduced the aircraft's ability to decelerate.
The pilot's decision to shut down the engine and stop the propeller before hitting the hedge significantly limited the extent of the damage to the aircraft.