What happened
On 25 April 1999, a Cessna F172L, registration G-AZTS, was preparing for a private flight from a grass runway at Ashcroft, Cheshire. During the pre-departure inspection, the pilot identified that the end of the runway strip was softer than the preceding sections. To mitigate risk, the pilot established a specific decision point along the runway to abort the take-off if sufficient airspeed was not achieved.
The pilot initiated the take-off roll from a position designed to maximize available distance, utilizing a soft field technique with 10 degrees of flap. Upon reaching the pre-determined decision point, the pilot determined that the aircraft lacked the necessary airspeed and closed the throttle to abort the departure.
As the aircraft decelerated, it began to slew toward the right. During this process, the nose of the aircraft pitched forward. The pilot leaned the fuel mixture to shut down the engine. The aircraft remained balanced on its nose for several seconds before rolling onto its left wingtip and eventually settling back onto its main landing gear. The incident resulted in minor damage to the left wingtip and a bent propeller tip. Both occupants, wearing appropriate harnesses, exited the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the runway conditions and the sequence of the aborted take-off. The examination confirmed that the pilot had identified the soft ground prior to the flight and had implemented a specific procedure to manage the risk by setting a decision point.
Findings
- The pilot identified soft ground at the end of the runway strip during the pre-flight inspection.
- The pilot utilized a soft field take-off procedure and established a decision point for aborting the take-off.
- The primary factor in the incident was the encounter with soft ground by the nosewheel during the rejected take-off attempt.