What happened
On 4 August 2002, a Reims Aviation SA Cessna F172M, registration G-BEBI, was conducting a private flight from Elstree to Clacton, Essex. The flight included the pilot and three passengers. Upon arriving at Clacton, the pilot intended to land on Runway 18, which features a grass surface and a displaced threshold, leaving a landing distance of 502 metres.
In an effort to mitigate noise for the local area, the pilot initiated a steep glide approach. This first attempt required s-turns to manage the path, leading to a go-around. During the subsequent approach, the aircraft was travelling approximately 10-15 knots faster than ideal, and the pilot aimed for a point just short of the displaced threshold.
As the aircraft entered an extended flare, the pilot lost visual contact with the airfield boundary. The aircraft touched down well past the midpoint of the runway. After the nosewheel was lowered, the pilot noticed the proximity of a boundary hedge. Although an initial attempt was made to steer away, the pilot instead applied power to attempt a second go-around. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a lamp post and a boundary hedge, crossed a road, and came to a stop in another hedge. The aircraft sustained damage beyond economic repair. While the crew and two passengers escaped without injury, one elderly passenger required hospital observation.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's approach techniques, the runway configuration at Clacton, and the sequence of events leading to the collision with the boundary hedge and lamp post. Investigators reviewed the pilot's flight experience and the environmental factors, including the wind conditions and the specific challenges posed by the displaced threshold and the runway's downward slope.
Findings
- The pilot's primary focus on noise abatement led to the use of an inappropriately steep glide approach.
- The aircraft's speed during the second approach was 10-15 knots above the target speed.
- The pilot lost visual reference to the airfield boundary during the prolonged flare.
- The decision to continue the steep approach despite the high speed and the late execution of the go-around maneuver were key contributing factors to the overrun.