What happened
On 3 June 2006, a Cessna 180K, registration G-BETG, was completing a local private flight near the Mendip Hills in Somerset. The weather conditions were favorable, characterized by fine visibility and a light northern wind of under 10 knots.
Upon approaching the private airstrip, the pilot performed a standard landing on Runway 05. During the landing roll, the aircraft began to veer toward the left side of the strip. As the aircraft continued along the ground, it exited the grass runway and entered an adjacent ploughed field. The soft nature of the terrain caused the aircraft to pitch forward, resulting in a nose-over. The pilot, who was secured by a lap strap and diagonal harness, was able to exit the aircraft through the left door without sustaining any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing roll and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The pilot noted that the leftward drift during the landing was due to a failure to provide sufficient compensation for the crosswind component during the rollout.
Findings
- The aircraft exited the runway and entered a ploughed field.
- The soft ground caused the aircraft to pitch forward, leading to the nose-over.
- The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot.
- The damage sustained by the aircraft included damage to the propeller and the engine cowling.