Accident Overview
On 6 August 2005 at 1226 UTC, a Maule M6 Super Rocket (registration N6130X) was returning from Thruxton to the grass airstrip at Old Winchester Mill Lane, West Meon, Hampshire. The private flight was operated by a single pilot with no passengers. The pilot, aged 73, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had logged 4,704 total flying hours, of which 650 hours were on type. In the previous 90 days he had flown 40 hours, and 16 hours in the last 28 days.
Sequence of Events
The pilot elected to land on Runway 24, which has a total length of 350 metres and is slightly downhill in the landing direction. The wind reported at Thruxton was from 280° at 5 kt, and the pilot estimated the wind at the airstrip was approximately 10 kt from the same direction. After a normal approach and touchdown, the pilot found that the brakes were ineffective and he was unable to stop the aircraft before it overran the airstrip boundary. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the propeller and left wingtip as it passed through a hedge onto a lane whose metalled surface was approximately three feet below the level of the runway. The pilot was uninjured.
Aircraft and Runway Details
The Maule M6 is designed to operate from short, unprepared strips. The pilot stated that he had carried out many successful landings in this aircraft at this airstrip. There was no evidence of mechanical brake failure.
Pilot's Account
The pilot attributed the accident to loss of braking on the damp runway, caused by a light fall of drizzle on the grass surface earlier in the day.
Damage
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the propeller and left wingtip.