AAIB Bulletin: 12/2007

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73 © Crown copyrght 2007 AAIB Bulletin: 12/2007 G-BLZH EW/G2007/09/04 ACCIDENT Aircraft Type and Registration: Reims Cessna F152, G-BLZH No & Type of Engines: 1 Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine Year of Manufacture: 985 Date & Time (UTC): 4 September 2007 at 400 hrs Location: Deanland Airfield, 4 miles north of Eastbourne Type of Flight: Prvate Persons on Board: Crew -  Passengers -  Injuries: Crew - None Passengers - None Nature of Damage: Damage to the left wng and the left elevator Commander’s Licence: Prvate Plot’s Lcence Commander’s Age: 78 years Commander’s Flying Experience: 932 hours (of whch 82 were on type) Last 90 days - 0 hours Last 28 days - 4 hours Information Source: Arcraft Accdent Report Form submtted by the plot Synopsis The arcraft landed on a short, wet, grass strp and went off the end of the runway. History of the flight The pilot flew the aircraft from Rochester to Deanland, near Lewes, n weather condtons descrbed as good, and established the aircraft on long finals for Runway 24. This grass runway is 500 m long. The surface wind was from 290º at 5 kt, whch resulted n a slght crosswnd from the right. The pilot described the approach as normal and selected full flap with a view to performing a short field landing. After touching down on the runway centrelne, the plot appled the brakes and the arcraft started to drift to the left. The aircraft continued off the end of the runway, to the left of the centrelne, wth the brakes applied. The left wing struck a low hangar and the aircraft span around through 270º. The aircraft came to rest wth the left elevator aganst the sde of the building. The plot consdered that he should have touched down 50 m shorter and 5 kt slower. He also believed that recent wet weather had made the short grass more slippery. Comment The CAA advce to plots s that when landng on runways where the length s not generous they should ensure that they touch down at, or very close to, ther aiming point. 74 © Crown copyrght 2007 AAIB Bulletin: 12/2007 G-BLZH EW/G2007/09/04 The grass strip at Deanland is 500 m long. The Cessna 152 flight manual gives a landing distance from 50 ft of 1,200 ft (366 m). These performance figures are those acheved by the manufacturer usng a new aeroplane and engine, in ideal conditions, and flown by a highly experienced pilot. The CAA therefore strongly recommend that pilots apply a safety factor of 1.33 for take off and 1.43 for landing to give an acceptable safety margin for an out-of-practice pilot, flying in less than favourable condtons and allowng for wear and tear on the aeroplane and engine. They also advise that as short wet grass s slppery plots should apply an addtonal safety factor of 1.6. Thus, the landing distance required at Deanland for a Cessna 52 on short wet grass should be 366 m x 1.43 x 1.6 which equates to 837 m.