What happened
On 2 July 2016, a Maule MXT-7-180 Star Rocket, registration G-BVIK, was conducting a training flight at a private airfield in Graveley, Hertfordshire. During the flight, an instructor and a student were practicing landing procedures, with the instructor managing the controls while the student followed the maneuvers.
Following a standard approach, the aircraft touched down shortly after passing the runway threshold. As the aircraft continued along the grass strip, the instructor noted that the deceleration was insufficient. Realising that a go-around was no longer a viable option, the instructor applied the brakes and steered the aircraft to try and stay within the available runway length. The aircraft eventually exited the runway into nearby vegetation, causing the nose gear leg to collapse and resulting in damage to the propeller.
There were no injuries to the two occupants of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the landing roll and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the aircraft failed to slow down at the anticipated rate during the landing phase.
Findings
- The primary cause of the overrun was a combination of wet grass and a shifting wind direction, which transitioned into a tailwind, significantly increasing the required landing distance.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the nose gear leg due to the impact with the ground and vegetation.