Cessna 172S Skyhawk, G-WACM, 19 July 2005

Cessna 172S Skyhawk, G-WACM

Summary:

The pilot was returning to Wycombe after a currency check and local flight. The weather was good, wind 270º /12 kt, gusting 20 kt. The approach was normal but, because of the gusting wind, the pilot used an approach speed of 75 to 80 kt and 20º flap. Landing clearance was given at the M40 motorway and threshold speed was 75 kt. The late ATC call was due to another landing aircraft. The aircraft touched down nose first and bounced. The aircraft bounced further to the left before the pilot brought it to a halt on the grass taxiway, between the asphalt and grass runways. There was damage to the engine firewall, distortion of the right landing gear leg and tail strike damage to the aft fuselage. Neither pilot nor passenger was injured. The airport emergency service responded promptly. The pilot considers that his approach speed was too high and that he should have initiated a go-around, either before the landing or after the first bounce. He considered that contributory factors in the accident were both his lack of recent flying and distraction from the previous landing aircraft still on the runway and the resulting late clearance to land.

Download report:

G-WACM-11-05.pdf (161.99 kb)

Published 10 December 2014