What happened
On 24 April 1999, a Cessna 195A, registration G-BSPK, was performing a private local flight near Conington Airfield, Peterborough. Following a 30-minute period in the air, the pilot approached Runway 28 for landing. At the time of the approach, the wind conditions were reported as northwesterly at 5 knots.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft began a right-hand ground loop. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control, but the rotation could not be arrested. As the aircraft veered off the runway centerline, the left mainwheel transitioned onto soft ground. This caused the aircraft to tilt momentarily onto its left wingtip and left elevator before coming to a complete stop. There were no injuries to the two crew members or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of events following touchdown and the physical impact of the aircraft leaving the paved surface. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the outer portion of the left wing, along with minor damage to the left elevator.