What happened
On 6 June 2006, a Cessna 172R, registration G-EGEG, was conducting a private sightseeing flight near Fort William. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and three passengers. Upon returning to Strathallan Airport, the pilot commenced an approach to Runway 10, a grass strip measuring 600 metres in length. The pilot had previously noted via GPS that winds were light and variable.
The aircraft touched down approximately 100 metres along the runway. Following the landing, the aircraft failed to decelerate as anticipated. In an attempt to avoid the airfield boundary fence, the pilot applied full braking and extended the flaps, but the aircraft continued to travel down the runway. The pilot then applied power in an attempt to perform a go-around, but there was insufficient runway remaining to execute the maneuver. The aircraft breached the perimeter fence, crossed an adjacent field, and descended a slope, eventually coming to a halt after striking a line of trees. All four occupants escaped the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the aircraft's performance on the grass surface. The inspection of the wreckage revealed damage to the nose landing gear spat and the inner portions of the wing leading edges where the impact with the trees occurred. No fire was reported following the collision.