Introduction
The accident involved a Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer III, registration G-BXTW, on a private flight from Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport to Compton Abbas Airfield, Dorset. The pilot held a valid restricted instrument rating.
History of the Flight
The pilot flew most of the route above cloud and descended using a radar service before joining left base for Runway 08. He reported thinking the approach was normal until he heard a bang and realised he had struck the top of trees located to the right and below the approach path. He applied power and left bank to return to the correct path and landed normally. Damage was found to the leading edge and tip of the right wing and to the tailplane.
Meteorology
The weather was described as hazy, with a cloud base between 1,500 ft and 2,000 ft and a light easterly breeze.
Airfield Information
Compton Abbas Airfield has an elevation of 811 ft. The terrain approaching Runway 08 slopes up from the north and west, which can give an unusual visual perspective. However, the accident pilot was familiar with this approach. The trees struck are located to the right of the approach path; normally aircraft clear them by approximately 100 ft to 150 ft. The aerodrome operator asked the land owner to prune the trees to reduce the chance of a similar accident.
Personnel
The pilot, aged 81, had 3,165 hours of flying experience, of which 3,100 were on type. He had flown less in the last year and had 5 hours in the last 90 days. He originally learned to fly at Compton Abbas and had flown there regularly for many years. He reported that some personal issues were on his mind and this may have distracted him on the approach.
Analysis
The pilot allowed the aircraft to descend below and to the right of the normal approach path, causing the aircraft to strike a tree. After the accident, he could not identify any reason why he did not notice he was not on the correct profile. He reflected that personal matters were on his mind and this may have distracted him on the approach.