What happened
On 24 November 2018, a Cessna U206C Super Skywagon, registration G-BPGE, was performing a private flight at Strathallan Aerodrome in Tayside. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and four passengers, who were returning to land after a scheduled skydive jump had been cancelled due to cloud cover.
During the approach to Runway 10, the pilot performed a touchdown significantly further down the 620-metre grass runway than intended. The impact was heavy, causing the aircraft to bounce. In an attempt to recover, the pilot initiated a go-around; however, during this maneuver, the aircraft struck a frangible wooden fence located at the end of the runway. The collision caused damage to the propeller, cowling, and horizontal stabiliser. Despite the damage, the aircraft successfully climbed away, and the pilot was able to complete a second landing safely. There were no injuries to the crew or the four passengers.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the flight circumstances and the pilot's approach characteristics. The investigation established that the pilot had developed a habit of approaching Runway 10 at a higher speed and higher altitude to avoid pedestrians walking near the threshold of the runway. This pattern had led to a tendency to land deeper into the runway than usual. On this specific occasion, the aircraft was heavier than normal due to the presence of four passengers, and calm wind conditions further contributed to the long touchdown.
Findings
- The pilot's approach to the runway was too high and too fast.
- The aircraft touched down much further along the runway than anticipated.
- The pilot failed to initiate a go-around immediately following the heavy touchdown and bounce.
- The aircraft's weight was higher than usual due to the four passengers on board.