Occurrence Description
On 15 September 2018, at 13:59 local time, a Cessna 182H aircraft, registration D-EDZU, operated by a private pilot on a private flight, was landing at Zărnești-Piatra Craiului airfield. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, had departed from the same airfield at 13:45 for a second flight that lasted about 15 minutes. He chose to land on the same runway (03) used for takeoff. According to the pilot's statement, the aircraft touched down at approximately half the runway length. Braking was initiated after the aircraft had rolled about 110 meters. The remaining distance was insufficient to stop within the airfield limits; the aircraft passed through a ditch at the end of the runway. The impact broke the nose landing gear and bent the engine cowl, also damaging the exhaust system. The pilot suffered no injuries.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Cessna 182H (a single-engine, high-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear), held a valid airworthiness certificate and had no pre-existing technical problems. The pilot, a 43-year-old male, possessed a valid flight crew license and medical certificate.
Meteorological Conditions
At the time of the accident, visibility exceeded 10 kilometers, temperature was 24°C, and wind was from 300° at 5 meters per second (10 knots). The investigation determined that weather had no influence on the accident.
Findings
The investigation established that the touchdown point was at about half the runway length, leaving approximately 260 meters for the landing roll. The aircraft's landing distance required, considering a grassy runway correction factor, was 225 meters. However, the pilot began braking after a roll of about 110 meters, leaving only 150 meters to stop. For a safe stop, immediate braking after touchdown was necessary.
Cause
The cause of this accident consists in late braking application after the touchdown, based on the erroneous estimation of the remaining available distance for braking and stopping the aircraft safely, on the background of the aircraft landing beyond the airfield’s half of the runway length.