What happened
On 30 March 2021, a Nicollier HN 700 Menestrel II, registration G-MINS, was involved in an accident at Bedlands Gate Airfield in Cumbria. The pilot intended to relocate the aircraft from the airfield following its recent purchase. Prior to departure, the pilot and an experienced companion inspected Runway 16 on foot, noting that the grass surface appeared firm despite recent rainfall.
After engine start-up, the pilot taxied the aircraft along Runway 34 and attempted to execute a 180-degree left turn using the turning circle. During this maneuver, the right wheel encountered a patch of soft ground located at the edge of the turning circle. This caused the aircraft to slew to the right and tip forward onto its nose. The impact resulted in the engine and propeller being shock loaded. There were no injuries to the pilot, who was able to exit the aircraft without difficulty.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry established that while the main runway surface had been assessed as firm, the specific area at the extreme edge of the turning circle contained soft ground that had not been identified during the initial foot inspection. Following the incident, the pilot and his companion manually extracted the aircraft from the mud and towed it back to the hangar.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the aircraft's right wheel sinking into unobserved soft ground at the edge of the turning circle.
- The pilot and his companion failed to detect the soft patch during their pre-flight inspection of the runway surface.