What happened
On 30 July 2013, a Beechcraft 58TC Baron, registration N6751W, was performing a private flight when it experienced a runway excursion at Panshanger Aerodrome, Hertfordshire. The pilot had opted to land on Runway 29 after conducting a visual circuit due to a broken cloudbase of 1,000 ft.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft landed further down the runway than intended and at a higher speed than usual. The runway surface was wet following recent rainfall. The pilot noted that the braking action was insufficient. Although a go-around was briefly considered, the pilot decided to continue the landing roll. The aircraft subsequently overran the runway and entered an adjacent field, where it struck a mound and a ditch. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, but the aircraft sustained damage to the landing gear, the right wing, and both propellers.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's decision-making and the aircraft's performance during the landing phase. The pilot had calculated the landing performance using a factor of 1.3, which suggested that touching down at the correct point would have left approximately 200 metres of runway remaining. The pilot also reflected that an earlier decision to execute a go-around could have prevented the excursion.
Findings
- The aircraft landed deeper into the runway and at a higher speed than anticipated.
- The runway surface was wet, which contributed to the loss of braking effectiveness.
- The pilot's failure to execute a go-around when the landing parameters were not met led to the overrun.
- The aircraft encountered a mound and a ditch after leaving the runway, causing the structural damage.