What happened
On 30 December 2014, a Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II, registration G-BFYM, was involved in an accident during a private flight at Beverley Airfield, Yorkshire. The aircraft had previously performed a force-landing in a nearby field two days earlier due to an engine failure. Following an inspection by an engineer that revealed no mechanical faults, the engine was test-run and the incident was attributed to potential carburettor icing. The pilot subsequently decided to fly the aircraft from the field back to the airfield.
On the day of the accident, the pilot conducted a 10-minute engine run-up and power check before taxiing for departure. The aircraft took off using full power and climbed normally. However, while on final approach to Runway 30, the engine suffered a total loss of power. To maintain airspeed, the pilot initially lowered the nose, but subsequently raised the nose to avoid a ditch located before the runway threshold. This maneuver resulted in an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft subsequently made a heavy landing, which caused the nosewheel and right mainwheel to detach, along with damage to the engine frame, propeller, firewall, and wing components. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and subsequent enquiries. Investigators reviewed the aircraft's recent history, noting the engine failure that had occurred 48 hours prior. The investigation examined the sequence of the pilot's maneuvers during the approach and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the engine'0s failure.