What happened
On 15 September 2023, a Cessna 120, registration G-BRUN, was conducting a private flight at Kittyhawk Aerodrome in Sussex. The pilot had initially intended to remain on the ground due to weather concerns but decided to fly following a discussion with an acquaintance who was traveling as a passenger.
During the flight, the pilot experienced significant turbulence due to thermal activity. Upon returning to the airfield, the pilot performed a go-around after an unsatisfactory approach. During a subsequent approach, the aircraft touched down heavily and bounced. As the aircraft drifted toward the runway edge, the pilot responded to a comment from the passenger by pushing the control yoke forward. This maneuver caused the aircraft to touch down firmly, bounce, and strike vegetation at the edge of the runway. The aircraft then cartwheeled over a fence and came to rest in an inverted position. There were no fatalities and no injuries to the crew or passenger.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the pilot's preparation and the influence of the passenger. The investigation established that the pilot had not prepared for the flight to his usual standard due to a spontaneous decision to fly. Furthermore, the pilot was relatively inexperienced on this specific aircraft type, having flown only three hours in G-BRUN previously.
The investigation also looked into the interaction between the pilot and the passenger. While the passenger was an experienced instructor, he was not acting in an instructional capacity. The pilot noted that his previous experience was primarily in aircraft using a control stick rather than a yoke, which led to over-controlling the aircraft. There was also a discrepancy regarding the passenger's specific words, though the pilot's reaction to the passenger's input was a key factor in the aircraft's descent.
Findings
- The pilot's decision to fly was made spontaneously without his usual methodical preparation.
- The pilot's familiarity with the Cessna 120 was limited, with only three hours of experience on the type.
- The pilot's previous experience with stick-type controls contributed to over-controlling the aircraft using the yoke.
- The pilot's reaction to the passenger's input during the landing phase led to the firm touchdown and subsequent rollover.