What happened
On 4 May 1998, a Piper PA-17 Vagabond, registration G-ALIJ, was conducting a private pleasure flight when it experienced a hard landing at Brimpton Airfield. While established on a long final approach to Runway 25, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 70 mph. As the aircraft passed the airfield boundary, the speed had decreased to 65 mph, but shortly thereafter, the pilot noted a further reduction to 60 mph.
At this stage, the pilot identified a high rate of descent. Despite an immediate application of full power, the aircraft struck the ground with enough force to cause the main landing gear to collapse. This impact subsequently caused the propeller to strike the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, both of whom were able to egress the aircraft without assistance.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight parameters and local meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot noted that immediately following the event, the airfield windsock showed a wind aligned with the runway at 5 to 10 kt. However, within minutes of the incident, the windsock indicated a variable wind, ranging from calm to 10 kt, blowing directly across the runway.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained a broken propeller and a collapsed main landing gear.
- The pilot identified windshear associated with the variable wind conditions as the primary cause of the sudden loss of airspeed and the resulting high rate of descent.