Cessna 182T Overruns Runway at Bodmin Airfield

Casualties unknown • Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall, GB

A private flight in a Cessna 182T resulted in an aircraft overturn after a high and fast approach led to a runway overrun on wet grass.

What happened

On 9 December 2017, a Cessna 182T Skylane, registration G-LANS, was performing a private flight at Bodmin Airfield in Cornwall. During the approach to Runway 13, the pilot was flying higher and faster than intended. While attempting to manage the descent, the pilot used only an intermediate flap setting rather than the full flaps required for a short-field landing technique.

Despite recognizing that the touchdown point would be further down the runway than planned, the pilot proceeded with the landing. The runway surface consisted of wet grass and featured a downhill gradient. The aircraft touched down approximately three-quarters of the way along the available distance. Following touchdown, the pilot applied maximum braking, but the wheels began to skid. The aircraft overran the prepared surface, descended down a grass bank, and overturned onto a private roadway. There were no injuries to the pilot or the two passengers on board, though the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.

The investigation

The AAIB examined the pilot's pre-flight performance calculations and the aircraft's handling characteristics. The investigation established that the pilot had calculated the required landing distance based only on the ground roll, rather than accounting for the distance from a 50-foot threshold height. This oversight meant the required distance actually exceeded the available runway length. Additionally, the investigation looked into the pilot's flying experience and the validity of his Single Engine Piston rating, noting that while he was flying regularly, his rating had not been formally revalidated due to an administrative oversight.

Findings

The approach was characterized by an excessive height and airspeed.
The pilot failed to select the full flap setting necessary for a short-field landing.
The pilot's landing distance calculations failed to account for the distance required from a 50-foot threshold height, leading to an insufficient stopping distance.
The touchdown occurred much later on the runway than the pilot had initially estimated.
The wet grass surface and the downhill gradient of the runway contributed to the inability to halt the aircraft.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by a high and fast approach combined with a failure to use full flaps, which, when coupled with inaccurate landing distance calculations that neglected the distance from 50 feet, resulted in the aircraft touching down too far down the runway to stop safely on the wet grass surface.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2017-12-09 Cessna 182T Skylane accident near Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall, GB?

A private flight in a Cessna 182T resulted in an aircraft overturn after a high and fast approach led to a runway overrun on wet grass.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2017-12-09 involved a Cessna 182T Skylane, registration G-LANS , at Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall, GB.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by a high and fast approach combined with a failure to use full flaps, which, when coupled with inaccurate landing distance calculations that neglected the distance from 50 feet, resulted in the aircraft touching down too far down the runway to stop safely on the wet grass surface.

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