What happened
On 24 June 2015, a Grumman AA-5 Traveller, registration G-TALJ, was performing a private flight when it encountered difficulties during the landing phase at Shobden Aerodrome, Herefordshire. While attempting to land on Runway 27, the pilot realized the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude. In an effort to correct the descent, the pilot raised the nose and increased engine power.
During this maneuver, the engine experienced a period of instability, described as spluttering, and failed to respond promptly to the power application. Consequently, the aircraft failed to reach the main runway and instead came to rest on a disused concrete surface located a few meters short of the tarmac threshold. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller and the rear fuselage, though there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the engine's performance. Analysis of the damage sustained by the aircraft provided critical clues regarding the aircraft's attitude and engine state at the moment of impact. Photographs of the wreckage revealed that the ventral strake had been scraped, which indicated that the aircraft was in an abnormally nose-high attitude during the landing.
Furthermore, the investigation noted significant damage to the tip of a propeller blade. The nature of this damage suggested that the engine was actually producing a substantial amount of power at the time of the undershoot, despite the pilot's observation of a delayed response and engine instability.