What happened
On 3 November 1999, an Auster D4-108, registration G-ARLG, was involved in an accident during a private flight departing from Hook Airstrip in Hampshire. The pilot intended to fly from Scotland Farm strip to Henstridge and then to Yeovil.
The runway, designated as Runway 08, featured a downslope to the east. During the preflight inspection, the pilot identified that the final 200 to 250 yards of the strip were unusable due to standing water, and noted wet patches near the center of the runway. Based on these conditions, the pilot estimated a required takeoff run of 411 yards after applying safety factors for wet and soft ground.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot employed a soft-field technique. The aircraft briefly lifted off but settled back onto the runway twice before the pilot noticed significant drag on the wheel. Deciding to abandon the takeoff, the pilot closed the throttle and applied the brakes. As the aircraft decelerated, the pilot released the brakes to avoid skidding and pulled the mixture control out. During this process, the aircraft drifted across the centerline onto softer ground. The sudden deceleration caused the nose to pitch downward, resulting in the propeller striking the ground.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the runway conditions, the pilot's performance calculations, and the sequence of events leading to the impact. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, engine cowling, and tailwheel, with the engine also experiencing a shock load.
Findings
- The takeoff was attempted on a runway with known patches of standing water and soft ground.
- The pilot experienced a sudden loss of forward vision as the aircraft decelerated.
- The aircraft drifted onto the southern side of the runway, where the ground was softer.
- The propeller struck the ground following a sudden nose-down pitch caused by rapid deceleration on the soft surface.