What happened
On 20 August 2015, a Piper PA-E23-250 Aztec, registration G-LIZZ, was performing a private flight from Germany to the Isles of Scilly. The flight was carrying the pilot and two passengers, including an instrument rating student. As the aircraft approached St Mary’s Airport, weather conditions indicated fog and low cloud. Due to a 15-knot wind from 190°, the pilot requested an approach to Runway 14, but because no published approach exists for that runway, the pilot instead opted for an NDB approach to Runway 32.
The pilot chose Runway 32 despite a 10-knot tailwind, based on the belief that the runway's steep upslope would assist in deceleration. However, no formal landing performance calculations were performed to verify if the available distance was sufficient under these wind conditions. During the approach in instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot reached the minimum descent altitude and initiated a go-around. Shortly after, the pilot spotted the Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) and decided to cancel the go-around to continue the landing.
The aircraft touched down approximately 200 meters from the threshold. Upon reaching the top of the runway slope, the pilot realized the aircraft was traveling too fast to stop within the remaining pavement. To avoid a nearby precipice, the pilot steered the aircraft toward the right edge of the runway. The aircraft left the paved surface and entered the grass, causing the nose and left main landing gear to collapse. There were no injuries to the three occupants, though the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the flight history, weather reports, and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was aware of the deteriorating weather and had multiple opportunities to divert the flight earlier. The investigation also reviewed the airport's runway characteristics, noting the 1:30 gradient of the first 300 meters of Runway 32.