What happened
On 26 July 2014, a Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, registration G-ARAN, was conducting a private flight from Leicester Airport to Northrepps (Cromer) Airfield. During the flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions, which transitioned from clear visibility to solid cloud cover. Unable to establish radio communication with Norwich or Northrepps airports initially, the pilot attempted to fly further offshore to find a lower cloud layer, but was unsuccessful.
After establishing contact with Northrepps, the pilot was instructed to fly inland to find better weather. Upon locating the airfield, the pilot began an approach to Runway 33. During the final stages of this approach, the pilot noticed a rapid decay in airspeed. Despite an application of power, the aircraft failed to reach the runway threshold, instead impacting a cornfield just short of the runway. The impact with a gully containing tyres caused the aircraft to overturn. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the loss of airspeed and the subsequent impact with the ground. The investigation also noted the presence of the tyre-filled gully, which is a safety feature designed to prevent aircraft from exiting the airfield boundaries near the public footpath.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the engine cowl, propeller, landing gear, wing spar, and tailplane.
- The primary factor in the undershoot was the rapid decay of airspeed during the final approach phase.
- The pilot's attempt to fly offshore to avoid cloud cover preceded the loss of control during the approach.