2013 Cessna 172R Runway Excursion at Baramati Airfield (VT-BUD)

Accident Overview and Investigation Findings On 29 June 2013, a Cessna 172R aircraft, registration VT-BUD, operated by M/s Academy of Carver Aviation Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai, was involved in a runway excursion at Baramati Airfield in Maharashtra, India. The accident occurred at 1025 UTC during a training flight. The Ministry of Civil Aviation constituted a committee of inquiry under Rule 11(1) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules 2012. The committee determined that the probable cause was primarily due to overcorrection of rudder given by the trainee pilot while landing in crosswind conditions, with winds being a contributory factor. ## Aircraft and Operational Details The aircraft was a 1998 Cessna 172R, a high-wing monoplane powered by a Lycoming IO-360 L2A engine. It was certified for single pilot operation and had a total of 8,826:15 hours at the time of the accident. The flight was a solo training exercise for a student pilot license holder converting an Australian Commercial Pilot License to an Indian CPL. The pilot had 501 hours 40 minutes of total flying experience, including 464.9 hours in Australia. ## Sequence of Events The trainee pilot took off for a third circuit and landing exercise at 1000 UTC from runway 29. The first circuit and landing was uneventful. During the second landing, after touchdown, the aircraft drifted right of the centerline and entered into Kutcha (unpaved ground). The nose wheel got stuck in the soft ground, causing the aircraft to topple upside down into a ditch. ATC reported winds from the southwest (240 degrees) at 13 knots, resulting in a crosswind component of 10 knots. The pilot had used a normal crosswind landing technique, including crabbing, for the first landing. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft was substantially damaged, with both propeller blades bent and twisted, the spinner damaged, and the top and bottom cowling damaged. The induction manifold was totally broken, and the nose oleo along with the nose wheel was bent and detached. Both wing tips were damaged, the right wing lift strut was bent, and the rudder and vertical fin were damaged. Fuel was leaking from the wing tanks. The trainee pilot was rescued by academy personnel and suffered no injuries. There was no fire following the accident.