Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee G-BAKH Accident Near Manchester City Airport

Accident Overview and Flight Details On 9 September 2017 at 0835 UTC, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-BAKH, was destroyed in a forced landing in a field near Manchester City Airport. The aircraft was operated by a 51-year-old private pilot with 15,000 hours of experience, including 10,000 on type. The flight carried one crew member and three passengers. The pilot sustained minor injuries, one passenger sustained serious injuries, and two passengers sustained minor injuries. All occupants vacated the aircraft unaided. ## Runway Conditions and Takeoff The aircraft departed from Runway 26R at Manchester City Airport. Significant rain had caused standing water on the runway, and the ATIS advised pilots to avoid the centreline and southern part of the runway. A NOTAM warned of possible short-notice closure due to heavy rain. The pilot refuelled the aircraft to full tanks and waited for a runway inspection, which confirmed the runway was very wet. The pilot then conducted an accelerate-and-stop run, successfully achieving rotate speed, before back-tracking for takeoff. ## Takeoff Performance and Forced Landing The pilot used a short-field technique with two stages of flap, keeping the aircraft to the right of the runway centreline. The aircraft became airborne between half and three-quarters along the runway length. A witness observed the aircraft “crawl” into the air in a nose-high attitude. After takeoff, the aircraft failed to accelerate or climb and was heading toward overhead power lines approximately 1,400 m beyond the end of Runway 26R. To avoid the power lines and the M62 motorway, the pilot turned left and made a forced landing in a potato field. The landing gear sank into the soil, causing an abrupt stop. The pilot and front-seat passenger hit their heads on the instrument panel, and the rear-seat passengers were also injured. No fire occurred despite severe left-wing damage. Emergency services arrived within about ten minutes. ## Engine Inspection An independent engineering company found no significant faults with the engine or ancillaries, though some camshaft wear was noted as typical for the engine type. AAIB tests from a previous investigation involving the same engine type estimated a 5–8% reduction in available power. ## Weight and Balance The aircraft’s basic weight was 1,370 lb (621 kg). Full fuel tanks added 288 lb (131 kg). The pilot, three passengers, and baggage weighed 899 lb (408 kg), and items in the aircraft weighed 19 lb (9 kg), giving a total takeoff weight of 2,576 lb (1,169 kg). The actual takeoff weight was slightly lower due to fuel used during taxi, power check, and the accelerate-stop manoeuvre. The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) for the aircraft was 2,150 lb (975 kg). The aircraft was within its centre of gravity limits. ## Performance Analysis The factored takeoff distance required (TODR) at MTOW under prevailing conditions for a 50 ft screen height was 2,090 ft. Adjusting for wet grass per CAP 1535P increased this to 2,717 ft. Accounting for the additional weight above MTOW, the estimated TODR was 3,912 ft (1,192 m). The declared Take Off Distance Available (TODA) for Runway 26R was 641 m. The aircraft was significantly overweight at takeoff, and the TODR was nearly double the available runway length. The takeoff technique used was not described in the Airplane Flight Manual. The high nose attitude and additional flap created significant drag, making acceleration difficult at slow speed. The engine condition contributed to the inability to accelerate and climb, but the level of overloading and lack of runway length likely would have produced the same outcome even without power loss. The presence of the power lines and motorway left the pilot with no practical option other than to turn away and make a forced landing.