What happened
On 5 November 2018, a Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, registration G-TALF, was engaged in a private flight for the purpose of practicing circuits at Tatenhill Airfield, Staffordshire. After waiting for low cloud to dissipate, the pilot determined that flying conditions were acceptable. However, during the initial climb out on the crosswind leg, visibility began to deteriorate significantly.
As the aircraft transitioned to the downwind leg, the pilot struggled to maintain visual contact with the runway. In response to the worsening conditions, the pilot aborted the downwind leg and lowered the landing gear; however, noting that the aircraft was too high, a go-around was initiated. During the subsequent second circuit, visibility continued to decline. The pilot became preoccupied with the challenging weather conditions, which led to the omission of standard downwind checks. Consequently, the landing gear remained retracted during the final approach. The aircraft touched down with the gear up, causing it to veer to the right and come to a stop at the edge of the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events regarding the pilot's decision-making in deteriorating weather and the specific procedural errors made during the second circuit. The investigation established that the pilot's focus on navigating through poor visibility resulted in the failure to complete necessary cockpit checklists.