What happened
On 27 August 2013, a Piper PA-18-150 (Modified) Super Cub, registration G-BJIV, was engaged in private glider towing operations at Sutton Bank Airfield in Yorkshire. Earlier that day, during a pre-flight inspection, the pilot had identified a bent bolt on the right front landing gear suspension arm. This component was replaced at approximately 1330 hrs, after which the aircraft continued its scheduled flight operations.
At 1645 hrs, while returning from a glider tow, the pilot performed a landing on Runway 20. The aircraft touched down at a speed of 60 knots in calm wind conditions. During the subsequent ground roll, the aircraft encountered a small bump that caused it to become airborne briefly before settling back onto the runway. The pilot did not characterize this as a heavy landing. However, during the roll, an attachment bracket failed, causing the right landing gear to partially collapse and the aircraft to veer to the right. The pilot promptly shut down the engine and electrical systems. As the aircraft continued moving, it struck a rut in the surface, which led to the complete collapse of both the right and left landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the damage to the Piper PA-18-150 (Modified) Super Cub, which sustained damage to the propeller, cowling, left wing, and landing gear. The inspection of the landing gear structure revealed several cracked components. It remained undetermined whether these cracks were a result of the landing incident or if they had existed prior to the event.