Cessna 180K Skywagon, G-BETG, 15 May 2005

Cessna 180K Skywagon, G-BETG

Summary:

The aircraft carried out an overhead join and circuit to land on the asphalt Runway 05 at Dunkeswell, following a short private flight from Franklyn’s Field Airstrip near Wells. The surface wind was light and variable. The aircraft bounced on touchdown and, despite the pilot’s attempts to control it, bounced again. After the second bounce the propeller struck the runway and the aircraft pitched forward onto its nose, shock loading the engine and damaging its cowling. The pilot was uninjured. The Skywagon is a four seat, high wing monoplane with tail wheel landing gear. The main landing gear struts are constructed from spring steel, which is considered by some operators to result in livelier handling on the ground than other Cessna types. The addition of large, low pressure “tundra” tyres on the accident aircraft may have exacerbated this characteristic. This aircraft was also fitted with an aftermarket wing tip modification, intended to reduce stalling speed, but this is not reported to have a detrimental effect on ground handling. The pilot considers that the accident was the result of a poorly judged landing, and could have been avoided had he executed a go around after the first bounce.

Download report:

G-BETG 10-05.pdf (158.21 kb)

Published 10 December 2014