Accident Details
On 26 May 2003 at 1100 UTC, a Cessna 120, registration G-AJJT, operated by a private pilot on a circuit practice flight, was damaged in a ground accident at East Pennard Farm Strip, near Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The aircraft, manufactured in 1947, was powered by a single Continental C85-12F piston engine. The pilot, aged 56, held a USA Private Pilot's Licence and had 121 hours total flying experience, of which 90 hours were on type. No passengers were on board, and the pilot was not injured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was practising circuits at the farm strip where he kept the aircraft. He had initiated go-arounds from the first two approaches because he was unhappy with his speed and position. On the third approach, he was about 5 mph fast but considered this acceptable and continued. During the flare, the aircraft floated and touched down further into the strip than normal.
During the rollout, the pilot became concerned about the remaining strip length. Because the aircraft was a tailwheel type, he had to lean forward to look over the engine cowling to see the fence marking the strip's end. In doing so, he believed he relaxed the backpressure he had been holding on the control column. He then applied the brakes with more force than intended, locking the wheels and causing the aircraft to skid forward about three metres at approximately 20 mph. The aircraft tipped forward, striking the propeller on the ground. The wooden propeller broke and the engine stalled. The aircraft continued to tip forward until it came to rest on its roof.
The pilot, while inverted, switched off the magnetos and electrical master switch. He supported himself against the roof, released his seat belt, lowered himself onto the roof, opened the door, and vacated the aircraft uninjured. Outside, he noticed the landing light was on and found that several electrical switches, including the master switch, were back in the 'ON' position. The pilot stated he may have knocked the switches while exiting. He noted that the lap strap and diagonal strap (a modification) restrained him effectively during the accident.
Pilot's Remarks
The pilot had gained most of his tailwheel experience on tarmac runways and had been flying from the farm strip for about four months. The strip was approximately 400 metres long; in hindsight, he considered that if he had not braked, he would have had sufficient distance to stop. However, his decision to brake was affected by difficulty judging the remaining distance due to restricted forward visibility. He stated that with his limited experience operating to short grass strips, he would have benefited from more flights to such airfields with an instructor to familiarise himself with their difficulties.