Accident with a Cessna 172S aircraft in Skövde

Summary in English

The pilot and two passengers were to carry out a private flight from Västerås-Johannisberg Airport to Skövde Airport.

During the approach and landing phase to Skövde, turbulence was experienced.

The touchdown on the runway was hard and followed by a bounce. The aircraft then drifted to the left, whereupon the pilot decided to initiate a go-around. During the application of engine power, which occurred at low speed and with a high pitch angle, the aircraft made an uncontrolled yaw to the left, accompanied by a steep left bank. As a result, the aircraft veered off the runway to the left and onto the runway strip. The aircraft then moved on the ground along the strip in an easterly direction with full power applied.

At the edge of the runway strip, the aircraft crossed a ditch, causing the nose landing gear to break off. The aircraft subsequently collided with a group of birch trees and came to a stop.

No personal injuries occurred, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

Conclusions

The aircraft was airworthy at the time of the occurrence. No technical malfunction or defect with the aircraft that could have contributed to the accident was identified. The pilot was qualified to conduct the flight, but had relatively limited flight experience.

There was a crosswind from the right which, in gusts, may have been close to the aircraft’s maximum demonstrated crosswind.

During the go-around attempt, the pilot’s rudder control inputs were insufficient to counter­act the left-turning tendencies produced by the propeller. A reference flight demonstrated that the left-turning tendencies generated became pronounced during power application at a high pitch angle and low speed. This likely caught the pilot by surprise.

Causes of the Accident

The prevailing wind conditions made the landing challenging in view of the pilot’s limited flight experience.

During the attempted go-around, the pilot’s control inputs were inadequate to counteract the left-turning tendencies, which combined with the effect of the crosswind resulted in a run­way excursion.

Startle effects and the elevated stress level negatively affected the pilot’s ability to act ratio­nally. The occurrence evolved into an accident when the go-around was continued, despite the fact that the conditions for a safe outcome no longer existed after the aircraft had departed the runway.

Safety recommendations

None.