What happened
On 2 February 2016, a Grumman AA-5 Traveller, registration G-BASH, was conducting a local flight from Popham Airfield, Hampshire, for the purpose of maintaining pilot currency. During the flight, the pilot performed a landing on Runway 26 under conditions involving wet grass and gusty winds from 260° at 18 knots, with gusts reaching 28 knots.
After vacating the runway, the aircraft became bogged in soft ground. Although the pilot initially requested assistance via radio, he determined that the aircraft could continue taxiing. As the aircraft proceeded approximately 50 metres, it encountered a slight downslope. The pilot lost control of the aircraft, causing it to swing to the left and strike the left wing of a stationary Cessna 172N Skyhawk, registration G-BRBI.
As a result of the impact, the G-BASH sustained propeller damage and the engine suffered a shock-load. The G-BRBI sustained damage to its left wing. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The investigators examined the environmental conditions at the time of the incident, specifically the state of the airfield surface and the wind conditions. The investigation also considered the pilot's actions following the aircraft becoming stuck in the soft ground and the subsequent loss of control on the downslope.