What happened
On 7 September 2015, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-BCJN, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot with 32 total flying hours. During the landing phase, the aircraft made a heavy touchdown on the runway. This impact caused the aircraft to bounce, after which the propeller made contact with the runway surface. Following the strike, the aircraft veered toward the right side of the runway, exited the paved surface, and eventually came to a halt on the adjacent grass area.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller and the engine mounts. There were indications that the engine may have been subjected to a shock-load as a result of the propeller strike and the heavy landing impact. There were no injuries reported following the event.