What happened
On 28 December 1997, a Cessuna 120, registration G-BUKO, was involved in an accident at Manor Farm, located west of Salisbury, Wiltshire. The aircraft was conducting a private flight with two occupants on board. The pilot intended to depart from Runway 09, a 447-metre strip that slopes downward toward the east. Due to the previous day's difficulties with a headwind, the pilot chose to utilize the downslope and a light tailwind to assist the takeoff.
During the takeoff roll, the engine was run up to 2,100 RPM, and a short-field technique was employed. As the aircraft reached the second bush marker, approximately 180 metres from the end of the strip, the pilot attempted to rotate. When the aircraft failed to become airborne, the pilot repositioned the control column and made a second rotation attempt. After this second attempt also failed to lift the aircraft, the pilot closed the throttle and applied the brakes.
Despite an attempt to ground loop the aircraft to assist in stopping, the Cessna 120 struck a barbed wire fence and entered a cutting adjacent to a farm track. The aircraft came to an abrupt halt against the far bank of the cutting. There were no fatalities and no injuries to the crew or passenger. The impact caused significant damage, including a bent propeller, a distorted fuselage in the cabin area, a damaged right-hand wing tip, and the loss of the right-hand landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on an accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the runway conditions, noting that the grass was long, wet, and soft. The pilot noted that while the wind was primarily light, it occasionally increased to 5 or 6 kt. The investigation also considered the aircraft's performance and the pilot's decision-making process regarding the aborted takeoff.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating on a soft, wet, and long-grass surface which hindered performance.
- The pilot elected to use Runway 09 to take advantage of the downslope and a light tailwind.
- The pilot's decision to abort the takeoff was made to avoid a potential stall or a high-speed collision with obstacles.
- The aircraft's braking performance was adversely affected by the surface conditions of the strip.