Accident Details
On 15 September 2006 at 0915 UTC, a Cessna A152 Aerobat (registration G-FLAP) sustained substantial damage during a landing at Sandtoft Airfield near Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. The aircraft, manufactured in 1979 and powered by a single Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine, was being used for a training flight. The instructor, aged 27 and holding an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence, had 1,520 hours of flying experience (1,430 on type). One student pilot was also on board. No injuries occurred.
Flight History
The instructor was conducting the first flight of the day, demonstrating the circuit pattern on Runway 05 Left to a student preparing for his first solo flight. The surface wind was from 360° at 10 to 15 knots. The circuit proceeded normally until the final approach, when conditions became slightly bumpy as the aircraft descended through approximately 80 ft, maintaining a drift angle of 5° to 8°. The instructor observed that the aircraft was above the ideal approach path, with an aiming point approximately 215 m beyond the touchdown threshold. He reduced power to increase the rate of descent while targeting 65 knots airspeed. Simultaneously, the aircraft encountered a downdraft and descended rapidly. Before corrective action could be taken, the nosewheel struck a barbed wire fence in the Runway 05 undershoot. The collision partially arrested the aircraft, causing it to touch down firmly on the runway in a nose-down attitude.
Damage and Injuries
The impact displaced the nose landing gear rearward, allowing the propeller to strike the asphalt runway surface. The main landing gear legs also displaced, causing local deformation of the fuselage structure. The propeller, engine, and left main landing gear were damaged, and the fuselage was distorted. Both occupants, uninjured, disembarked without assistance. There was no fire.
Discussion
Before the accident, the aircraft had been in constant use without incident and showed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical defects. The instructor attributed the downdraft to disturbance of surface airflow over industrial units located north and north-west of the airfield. He noted that in future he would approach with more caution, using a higher approach path and aiming to touch down further along the runway to assess wind conditions. The UK Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) entry for Sandtoft contained no information about turbulence or downdrafts, and neither the instructor nor local pilots considered the approach to Runway 05 notably affected by unusual surface wind conditions. While touching down further along the runway may mitigate turbulence near the threshold, pilots must ensure adequate runway remains to stop safely.