What happened
On 11 November 1998, a Cessna F172H, registration G-AVIS, was involved in a taxiing incident at Sandown Airfield, Isle of Wight. During a private flight, the pilot was directed to use the Northern taxiway because the Southern taxiway had become soft and boggy following recent rainfall.
As the aircraft reached the midpoint of the taxiway, it began an uncontrolled swing toward the left. Realizing that the aircraft was on a trajectory to collide with a nearby bank, the pilot elected to shut down the engine. The aircraft subsequently struck the bank and overturned onto its right wing. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained minor damage to the right wingtip.
The investigation
Following the event, the pilot submitted an aircraft accident report form. The investigation focused on the movement of the aircraft during the taxi phase and the ground conditions of the airfield. The crew evacuated the aircraft immediately after the impact, following a brief PAN call transmitted by the pilot.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of directional control was the left wheel entering a patch of long grass situated on boggy ground.