AAIB investigation to Aeroprakt A22 Foxbat, G-CHAD
Loss of directional control after landing, Mitton Farm Airstrip, West of Penkridge, Staffordshire, 22 June 2016.
Summary:
Mitton Farm Airstrip has a single grass runway orientated 10/28. Adjacent to both sides of the runway was a crop of wheat, which was about 70 cm tall. The wind at the time of the landing was from 135° at between 5 and 10 kt. The approach and initial touchdown on Runway 10 appeared normal but, as the pilot applied the brakes during the rollout, the aircraft skidded and departed the left side of the runway and entered the wheat crop before coming to a stop. The pilot was uninjured but the aircraft sustained damage to the nose leg, the nose leg fuselage brackets and propeller.
The pilot had visited Mitton Farm Airstrip previously and considered that, for the accident landing, the grass was “much longer than normal” and that this, combined with the surface being damp from recent rain, had contributed to the loss of directional control.
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