What happened
On 21 August 2018, a Aerostar YAK-52, registration G-CCJK, was conducting a private flight from White Waltham Airfield to East Hoe Manor, a private farm strip located near Hambledon, Hampshire. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a visual inspection of the runway and noted light winds from the south-west.
Executing a short-field approach using full flaps at an airspeed of 13 and 0 km/hr, the pilot touched down on the 460 m grass runway. During the landing roll, the application of brakes caused the wheels to lock immediately, initiating a skid. While the pilot managed to correct the direction of the skid, the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently. To avoid colliding with a parked aircraft and personnel located to the right, or a fence to the left, the pilot steered the aircraft straight ahead, resulting in an overrun of the runway end.
During the excursion, the pilot deactivated the fuel and forward magnetos; however, because the rear cockpit was unoccupied, the rear magnetos remained active, allowing the propeller to continue rotating. The aircraft struck a fence at approximately 10 mph, causing damage to the propeller, the right lower cowling, and both wing leading edges. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway conditions and the aircraft's mechanical state following the collision. The investigation established that the runway surface was notably hard and covered with new grass growth, which was further lubricated by morning dew. This specific combination of factors created a highly slippery surface.
Data regarding the aircraft's performance indicated that while a typical ground roll for this type of operation is approximately 150 m, the roll on this occasion exceeded 380 m. The investigation also noted that the pilot had not verified the specific surface conditions of the strip prior to departure.