What happened
On 27 November 2009, a Cessna 182K Skylane, registration G-AVGY, was involved in an accident during a private flight at Fenland Airfield, Lincolnshire. As the pilot attempted to take off from the grass runway, they applied full power before the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway centerline. During this maneuver, the aircraft drifted toward the edge of an adjacent wheat field. Because the ground in that area was significantly wet following recent rainfall, the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of control and subsequently turned over.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the takeoff roll and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The investigation established that the aircraft's path deviated from the runway toward the saturated soil of the nearby field. The resulting impact caused damage to the wings, fuselage, propeller, and nosewheel.
Findings
- The pilot applied full power while the Cessna 182K Skylane was not yet fully aligned with the runway.
- The aircraft veered toward the edge of a wheat field.
- The wet condition of the adjacent field following recent rain contributed to the aircraft's rapid stop and subsequent overturn.