Summary
On 29 May 2011 at approximately 09:10 UTC, a Cessna F182Q (manufactured by Reims Aviation) registered in Germany sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing at Gmunden-Laakirchen airfield. The aircraft was operating as a parachute drop flight with one pilot and four passengers on board. None of the occupants were injured.
Incident Details
The aircraft had arrived from Zell am See at 07:22 UTC and was prepared for parachute drop flights. The pilot refueled the aircraft before departure. At 08:47 UTC, the aircraft took off from runway 08. During the climb to an intended drop altitude of flight level 110, approximately 5-6 nautical miles east of the airfield at about 8000 ft MSL, the engine rpm audibly dropped from 2400 to 1500, accompanied by a rise in exhaust gas temperature while manifold pressure remained at about 20 in Hg.
The pilot performed the emergency procedure for in-flight engine failure without success. He returned to the departure airfield in a descent with reduced power. The tandem skydivers aboard decided not to jump prematurely. Unable to reach runway 08 with the remaining engine power, the pilot conducted a forced landing on runway 26. The approach speed was 75-80 KIAS. The aircraft touched down at about 70 KIAS with flaps at 40°, in the area of the eastern taxiway B. After touchdown, the pilot applied the main wheel brakes.
To avoid overrunning the runway end and a steep embankment, the pilot turned left toward the left safety strip. During this maneuver, the left main tire burst, and the aircraft veered right. It then overran the runway end at low speed and came to rest in a grain field at the base of the embankment. The nose landing gear and propeller were damaged.
Aircraft and Crew
The Cessna F182Q (serial number F 182-0078, built 1978) had a total of 3336:07 flight hours and 1936 cycles. The engine was a Teledyne Continental Motors O-470-U (serial number 470849), installed in 2003 with 481 hours since overhaul (TSO). The propeller was a three-blade, hydraulically adjustable MTV-9-D/195-18B (serial number 02555).
The pilot held a Commercial Pilot License with SEP (land) and MEP (land) ratings and a valid instrument rating and medical certificate. Total flight experience was approximately 253 hours, with about 35 hours in the last 90 days. On the accident type, the pilot had about 32 hours in the last 90 days.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The investigation by the Austrian Safety Investigation Board determined that the engine rpm reduction was probably due to a temporary impairment of fuel supply, the cause of which could not be determined. Additionally, due to a high touchdown speed combined with a late touchdown on the runway, the aircraft could not be brought to a stop within the remaining runway length.