What happened
On 11 December 2003, a Rockwell 114 Commander, registration N395TC, was conducting a private transit flight from Bournemouth to Bembridge Airport. Before landing, the pilot contacted Bembridge Radio to obtain local weather and runway information. The ground operator reported a surface wind of 180º/18 to 26 kt, a low cloudbase of 350 feet to the west, and visibility of 1,000 metres.
Although the wind conditions favored Runway 12, the pilot chose to land on Runway 30 to take advantage of improved weather conditions to the east. During the approach to the 837-metre concrete runway, the pilot increased the approach speed by 5-10 kt to mitigate potential turbulence. The aircraft touched down on the wet surface approximately 300 metres past the runway threshold. Shortly after touchdown, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, which prevented the pilot from initiating braking until less than half of the runway remained. Upon applying heavy braking, the aircraft appeared to aquaplane and yaw approximately 60° away from the runway heading. The aircraft then slid onto the grass to the left of the runway, coming to a stop near the airfield boundary. The excursion resulted in no injuries to the pilot, but the aircraft sustained a fractured right landing gear and damage to the propeller hub.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and examined the local weather conditions at the time of the event. The investigation noted that the pilot had not fully anticipated the severity of the wind or the gusty nature of the landing conditions. Additionally, the investigation referenced the Bembridge Local Traffic Regulations, which warn that severe turbulence and potential windshear can occur during approaches when wind speeds exceed 25 kt from a southerly direction (90° through south to 230°).