What happened
On 29 November 1998, a Cessna 172M, registration G-BSCR, was conducting a private cross-country flight from Stapleford to Elmsett Airfield in Suffolk. Upon approaching the airfield, the pilot was notified that Runway 23 was active. During the final approach, the pilot identified that the aircraft was too high and subsequently reduced engine power. While the pilot estimated that the 850-metre runway would provide enough distance to stop, the aircraft encountered a wet grass surface and a significant downslope at the south-west end of the runway.
As the pilot applied the brakes, the aircraft failed to decelerate effectively. The aircraft overran the end of the runway and entered a ploughed field, where it subsequently tipped onto its nose. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the propeller and the left wingtip, though there were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's decision-making during the approach. It was noted that the surface wind was 310°/10 kt. The investigation looked into the runway characteristics at Elmsett, specifically the presence of the downslope and the condition of the grass. The pilot's experience level was also reviewed, noting 125 total flying hours, with only 12 hours on this specific type.
Findings
- The pilot failed to execute a go-around after realising the aircraft was high on the approach.
- There was a misjudgement of the aircraft's stopping capability on the wet grass surface.
- The lack of braking effectiveness was exacerbated by the aircraft entering the downslope section of the runway.
- The pilot noted that, given the wind direction, Runway 05 could have been used to utilise the up-slope at the start of the runway to assist in deceleration.