What happened
On 14 May 2000, a modified Piper L21B, registration G-BIMM, was engaged in a private training flight at Clacton Airfield, Essex. The flight was being conducted by an instructor accompanied by a student pilot. During the approach to the grass runway 18, the aircraft's undercarriage made contact with a mound of earth located just before the airfield boundary.
Despite this impact, the crew continued the approach and landing sequence. However, upon touchdown, the starboard undercarriage collapsed. This caused the aircraft to veer to the right, eventually coming to a halt off the side of the runway. There were no injuries to the two occupants, who were both wearing four-point harnesses and exited the aircraft without difficulty.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry examined the runway conditions and the flight path, noting that the available landing distance on runway 18 was 502 metres due to a displaced threshold. Environmental conditions at the time of the incident were reported as calm with good visibility.
Findings
- The primary cause of the undercarriage failure was the impact with a mound of earth short of the airfield boundary during the approach.
- The collision resulted in damage to the propeller, the lower engine cowling, and the undercarriage.
- The aircraft's occupants were able to egress safely due to the use of appropriate safety harnesses.