What happened
On 17 August 2017, a Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II, registration G-BSBA, was conducting a private flight from Fairoaks Airport to Sandown Airfield. The flight was carrying one pilot and two passengers. During the final approach to the grass runway 23, the pilot noted the aircraft was relatively high. To avoid turbulence caused by nearby trees, the pilot intended to land further down the runway.
As the aircraft reached the flare stage, the pilot realized the maneuver had been initiated too early, leaving the aircraft several feet above the ground at a low airspeed. The aircraft subsequently descended and bounced. In an attempt to execute a go-around, the pilot applied engine power; however, the aircraft failed to climb and drifted toward the left side of the runway. After the aircraft departed the runway, the passenger in the front right seat, who was also a qualified pilot, took control of the aircraft. The passenger managed to steer the plane onto an adjacent taxiway, where it eventually stopped after colliding with a wooden post and a barbed wire fence.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the approach, the pilot's decision-making regarding the approach height, and the subsequent loss of directional control during the attempted go-around. The investigation also noted the physical damage sustained by the aircraft, which included the cowling, the left wing leading edge, and the right fuel tank, as well as damage to the airfield's perimeter fencing.