What happened
On July 15, 2006, an Aeromot-Industria Mecanico Metalurgica AMT-200 motor glider, registration JA203X, was conducting proficiency training when it departed the runway at Miho Airstrip in Shizuoka City. The flight, which originated from Fujigawa glider strip, was intended to include touch-and-go practice at Miho before returning to Chofu aerodrome.
During the landing phase, the pilot aimed to touch down as close to the runway threshold as possible. Upon touchdown, the aircraft began to veer sharply to the left. The pilot initially attributed the deviation to a landing gear imbalance and attempted corrective inputs, while the second pilot increased engine power to steer the aircraft back toward the centerline. However, the left wingtip or its immediate vicinity had become entangled in tall grass located just outside the paved surface.
As the aircraft continued to travel, the drag from the grass caused the nose to pivot toward the boundary of the airstrip. The resulting skid led to the fracture of both main landing gear shock struts and the tail wheel. The impact also caused the propeller blades to fracture upon hitting the ground and resulted in a crack and dent on the left wing leading edge. The aircraft eventually came to a halt near the edge of the paved area. There were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight preparation, the physical condition of the airstrip, and the crew's landing techniques. Investigators noted that the paved width of the northern end of the airstrip was only 10 meters, which was narrower than the aircraft's wingspan. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance of the surrounding area, finding that the grass height near the left wingtip reached approximately 1 meter due to a lack of recent mowing. Furthermore, the investigators looked into the communication between the pilot in command and the second pilot regarding the specific landing requirements for the unfamiliar airstrip.