What happened
On 20 October 2005, a Cessna U206F, registration G-BMHC, was conducting a private flight from Draycott Farm to Tilstock Airfield. The pilot, having encountered traffic delays on a return journey to Blackpool, decided to divert to Tilstock because the approaching nightfall made the original destination difficult to reach safely.
During the landing sequence on the rough grass runway, the aircraft's nose-wheel fork suffered a fracture after the nose-wheel struck a mound or rut on the surface. This impact caused the aircraft to become airborne a second time. Upon the subsequent touchdown, the broken remains of the fork dug into the ground, causing the aircraft to overturn. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board, though the aircraft sustained extensive damage and was written off.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing and the mechanical failure of the nose-wheel assembly. Investigators examined the condition of the grass strip at Tilstock and the impact of the surface features on the landing gear. The pilot's decision-making regarding the use of a grass strip in fading light was also reviewed, alongside the mechanical integrity of the nose-wheel fork.