What happened
On 19 June 2015, a Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III, registration G-RJMS, was performing a private flight departing from Crosland Moor Airfield in Yorkshire. As the pilot commenced the takeoff roll on Runway 25, the aircraft began to swing toward the left. Despite attempts to counteract the movement using right rudder, the pilot could not maintain the centerline. The left wingtip subsequently struck bushes at the edge of the runway, which intensified the yaw. The aircraft exited the runway, descended down an embankment, and crashed through a stone wall before coming to a halt in a nearby field. The impact caused all three landing gears to collapse. While the pilot escaped without injury, two passengers sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sudden loss of directional control during the takeoff roll. Investigators examined photographs of the runway, which revealed faint marks on the tarmac near the start of the takeoff run. The pilot suggested these marks might indicate that the nose landing gear had partially retracted, potentially hindering steering capabilities. However, the investigators noted that these marks were very light and did not continue throughout the remainder of the ground run. Furthermore, the absence of deep, characteristic propeller slash marks suggested that the propeller had not struck the runway under high power. At the time of the report, no specific mechanical inspections had been conducted to verify the operational status of the nose landing gear.