Accident
On 28 June 2005 at 1300 hrs, a Yak-52 aircraft, registration G-CBMI, was involved in an accident during landing at Onecote Strip, Staffordshire. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured and vacated the aircraft normally.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Yak-52, manufactured in 1985, powered by one Ivchenko Vedeneyev M-14P piston engine. The nature of damage included damage to the port and starboard wings, minor damage to the propeller, and the engine was possibly shock loaded.
Pilot Details
The pilot, aged 50, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had a total flying experience of 450 hours, of which 17 hours were on the Yak-52 type. In the last 90 days he had flown 60 hours, with 22 hours in the last 28 days.
Location Description
Onecote Strip is a grass runway (Runway 34) measuring 600 m by 30 m, with a 50 m extension at the far end. It is located on the spine of a high ridge, subject to strong up and downdraughts. A fence is situated close to the left edge of the runway.
Sequence of Events
On a return flight from East Midlands, the pilot overflew the strip to check the windsock before making his approach to land on Runway 34. The pilot reported that he landed slightly long and fast, and maintained braking in order to stop in the remaining distance available. However, he was unable to prevent the aircraft drifting to the left until it struck a gatepost with the left wing, some distance short of the end of the runway. The aircraft then swung left into the fence.
Cause
The pilot attributed the cause of the accident to his misjudgement compounded by variations in the wind direction whilst landing.