What happened
On 17 July 2021, a Cessna 208B, registration G-OJMP, was conducting commercial parachuting operations at Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire. During the flight, the pilot elected to fly a tighter circuit pattern to avoid potential conflict with gliders reported in the area.
While flying the downwind leg, an A5-sized metal kneeboard used for flight records slipped from its stowage and fell into the right footwell. Although the pilot initially ignored the item, he became concerned during the final approach that the board might obstruct the rudder pedals. At approximately 200 feet above the airfield, the pilot reached down to retrieve the board. Upon looking back up, the aircraft was at a dangerously low altitude with a high rate of descent. To prevent a collision, the pilot performed an abrupt pitch-up manoeuvre. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground hard in the undershoot area, just short of the runway boundary. The impact caused the nosewheel to oscillate and collapse as the aircraft crossed a nearby berm. The pilot sustained minor injuries, but the aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair.
The investigation
The AAIB examined cockpit image recordings and airfield CCTV, which confirmed the aircraft's steep nose-down attitude and high rate of descent prior to the recovery manoeuvre. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's cockpit configuration, noting that the shoulder straps of the five-point harness were not secured to allow for greater movement, and that the kneeboard was not secured to the pilot's leg.
Findings
- The pilot's focus was diverted from the primary task of flying the aircraft to retrieving a loose object at a critical phase of flight.
- The pilot's decision to retrieve the kneeboard during the final approach directly led to the loss of situational awareness regarding the aircraft's altitude.
- The use of an abbreviated circuit pattern, intended to avoid gliders, reduced the time available to manage distractions.
- The lack of electronic conspicuity (EC) devices meant the pilot could not visually locate the gliders, necessitating the tighter flight path.
- The kneeboard was stored in an insecure location because the pilot feared a properly secured board might interfere with control inputs.