What happened
On 5 December 2017, a Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow, registration G-RACO, was conducting a training flight at Manchester/Barton Airport. The flight was part of a type conversion process for the pilot, who was transitioning to this specific model from different aircraft types.
During the initial circuit, the pilot configured the aircraft for landing and maintained slight throttle power while passing over the runway threshold. As the pilot attempted to flare the aircraft, they realized the flight path was too high. Following instructions from the instructor, the pilot lowered the nose. This maneuver resulted in an abrupt nose-down pitch, causing the aircraft to strike the grass runway. The impact led to the collapse of the nose landing gear and caused structural deformation to the wings around the main landing gear mounts, along with damage to the propeller. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight dynamics and the differing perspectives of the crew regarding the cause of the pitch-down maneuver. The pilot suggested that a stall had occurred during the flare, which triggered the sudden nose-down movement. However, the instructor's assessment was that the pilot's forward control input was too significant, leading to the abrupt change in attitude. The instructor noted that the speed of the maneuver left no opportunity for corrective action to prevent the impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an abrupt nose-down pitch following the pilot's attempt to correct a high approach.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's previous flying experience, which consisted largely of aircraft with much higher seating positions than the Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow, potentially affecting their perception of the aircraft's height during the flare.