What happened
During a flight departing from Cark Airfield, the aircraft carried nine passengers for a parachuting jump. After the passengers exited the aircraft at an altitude of approximately 6,500 feet, the pilot began the descent. The flight proceeded with a low-level, left-hand circuit toward runway 24 under twilight conditions. While the western sky remained bright due to the setting sun, the runway lacked artificial lighting. The pilot utilized full-intensity red cockpit lighting and activated both landing lights for the approach.
As the aircraft reached 50 feet on final approach, the pilot maintained enough visual reference to proceed, despite being slightly right of the centerline. Although the pilot corrected the alignment before touchdown, the loss of visual reference occurred exactly as the main wheels made contact with the ground. During the landing roll, the aircraft experienced rapid deceleration after striking an obstruction on the left side. The aircraft subsequently crossed a fence located to the left of the runway and stopped against a pile of concrete rubble. The pilot, who was wearing a lap and diagonal restraint, escaped the wreckage without 0 injuries.
Findings
Investigation into the excursion noted that the pilot initially believed the aircraft might have struck sheep on the threshold. However, it was later determined that the aircraft likely struck the sheep after departing the runway surface. A significant factor in the loss of situational awareness was the misted windscreen, which the pilot noted had been a recurring issue on previous flights. The lack of a demister on the aircraft, combined with the lack of runway lighting and the onset of twilight, contributed to the reduced forward visibility during the critical landing phase.