What happened
On 14 October 1998, a Grumman AA-5, registration G-BBSA, was performing a private flight from the Borders (Milfield) Gliding Club in Northumberland. During the takeoff roll on grass runway 27, which featured a 15 kt headwind, the aircraft encountered an area of uneven ground at approximately 45 kt. This disturbance caused the aircraft to become airborne prematurely.
Upon lifting off, the pilot determined that the aircraft lacked the necessary airspeed to maintain a safe climb. In an attempt to correct the flight path, the pilot lowered the nose; however, this maneuver was executed with excessive force, causing the nosewheel to strike the runway surface. Fearing structural damage, the pilot aborted the takeoff and brought the aircraft to a stop on the runway before shutting down the engine.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft was removed from the runway for inspection. The investigation, based on the pilot's accident report, confirmed that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller. The pilot noted that the patch of rough ground responsible for the initial disturbance had not been clearly visible during previous landings at the airfield.