What happened
On 5 March 2014, a Reims Cessna FA152 Aerobat, registration G-BFRV, was performing a private flight at Shoreham Airport. Following a successful flight, the pilot was cleared to perform a touch-and-go landing on Runway 20. At an altitude of 500 ft, the pilot deployed full flaps, crossing the runway threshold at approximately 65 kt.
Upon touchdown, the pilot reduced the throttle to idle. While attempting to retract the flaps, the aircraft drifted left of the runway centerline. Despite attempts to correct the deviation using rudder inputs, the aircraft moved off the asphalt runway onto the adjacent grass. The grass surface was waterlogged, causing the left wheel to sink into the ground immediately. This sudden deceleration caused the aircraft to spin, resulting in the nosewheel becoming embedded in mud and the right wing striking the ground. The aircraft came to a stop upright, roughly 5 meters from the runway edge. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events from the moment of touchdown through the loss of directional control. The inspection of the site and the aircraft confirmed that the aircraft sustained a propeller strike and damage to the leading edge of the right wing.