What happened
On 5 September 2020, a Piper PA-28-151, registration G-CKIO, was conducting a training flight originating from Nottingham Airport. The flight crew, consisting of an instructor and a student, were practicing forced landing procedures over farmland near Woodside Farm, Hockerton, in Nottinghamshire.
During the maneuver, the student pilot was at the controls. As the aircraft was attempting to climb away following the simulated landing, the right wing tip struck the top of a tree. This impact caused minor damage to the wing tip and a dent in the leading edge of the wing, as well as damage to the strobe light. Following the collision, the instructor took control of the aircraft and successfully returned it to Nottingham Airport.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events leading to the contact with the tree. The instructor noted that they had not realized the proximity of the aircraft to the trees during the descent and approach. Furthermore, it was established that the student pilot failed to apply power promptly when instructed to initiate the climb away from the field.
Post-incident reflections from the instructor indicated that a more critical assessment of the landing site's suitability should have been performed earlier in the descent. Additionally, the instructor acknowledged that a more rapid intervention should have occurred when the student failed to respond to the command to apply full power.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the delayed application of power by the student pilot during the climb-out phase.
- The instructor failed to recognize the close proximity of the aircraft to nearby trees during the procedure.
- The instructor did not intervene quickly enough to correct the student's failure to follow instructions.