What happened
On 16 June 2003, a CEA DR253B Regent, registration G-BYHP, was conducting a private flight from Sywell to an unlicensed airfield at Ashcroft, Cheshire. The flight included the pilot and one passenger. Upon arrival, the pilot opted to land on Runway 32, which offered a longer approach and headwind conditions. After an initial missed approach due to the narrowness of the mown runway surface, the pilot attempted a second landing.
During the landing roll, the aircraft began drifting toward the left side of the strip. In an attempt to steer back toward the centre, the pilot inadvertently directed the aircraft toward an obstacle located in the long grass. The aircraft struck a sign, resulting in no injuries to the occupants, but causing a crack to the leading edge of the port wing.
The investigation
The investigation examined the airfield layout and the circumstances leading to the impact. The airfield in question is unlicensed and features two intersecting grass runways. At the time of the accident, the mown portion of the runway was approximately 8.5 metres wide, significantly narrower than the 12-metre width the pilot had expected based on the Pooleys Flight Guide.
The sign that was struck stood approximately 1 metre high and contained instructions for Runway 1s. While the airfield owner placed the sign roughly 3.4 metres from the edge of the strip to ensure visibility during backtracking, the investigation noted that the aircraft's left main wheel had moved slightly beyond the mown area at the point of impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the aircraft striking a sign located in the grass adjacent to the runway.
- The pilot's attempt to correct the aircraft's lateral drift toward the centre of the runway led to the collision.
- There was a discrepancy between the runway width recorded in the Pooleys Flight Guide and the actual width of the mown strip encountered upon arrival.
- The airfield, being unlicensed, did not adhere to the width and obstacle clearance recommendations outlined in CAP 428, which suggests runways of this length should be at least 18 metres wide and free of obstacles within 30 metres of the centreline.