AAIB investigation to Falco F8L Series 3 (Modified), G-PDGG
Overran runway on landing, Meppershall Airfield, Bedfordshire, 24 September 2018.
Summary:
The pilot approached Runway 24 with full flap selected. During the landing roll, application of the brakes caused the aircraft to veer right and towards a hedge. The pilot had to release the brakes to correct the aircraft’s direction. The same thing happened when the brakes were reapplied. As a result, he was unable to stop the aircraft overrunning the runway.
The pilot was uninjured but unable to exit the aircraft unaided because the rearwards sliding canopy was jammed from the accident.
The brakes on this aircraft were operated by a single, heel operated, pedal which applied both wheel brakes together. An engineer, experienced on type, found that only the right brake was operating normally. The left brake was not adjusted correctly and therefore did not apply any braking to its wheel.
The pilot commented that, in future, when he visits a new private airfield he will “carry out a missed approach and overfly at low level”, to assess its geography and layout before landing.
He also recommended that owners of similar aircraft, without a canopy jettison system, have a properly stowed escape assist device available to allow the canopy to be broken for emergency egress, should it become jammed.
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