Accident Details
On 29 October 2009 at 1004 hours UTC, a Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee, registration G-BETM, was landing at Sutton Bank Airfield, North Yorkshire, following a normal glider aerotow flight. Immediately after touchdown, the pilot heard a bang from the left side of the aircraft and suspected a landing gear problem. He switched the magnetos to OFF and attempted to keep the left wing off the ground as long as possible. However, as the aircraft slowed, the left wing dropped and its tip contacted the damp grass runway surface. The aircraft then slowly turned through 180° before coming to rest. The pilot vacated the aircraft without difficulty. There were no injuries to the pilot, who was the sole occupant.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a 1976 Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee, powered by one Lycoming O-540-B2B5 piston engine. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence and was 63 years old, with a total flying experience of 806 hours, of which 324 hours were on type. In the last 90 days, he had flown 7 hours, with 5 hours in the last 28 days. The flight was conducted for private purposes, and the aircraft was used exclusively for aerotowing operations, averaging about six flights per hour from a grass runway.
Post-Accident Inspection
Post-accident inspection revealed that the eye-end attachment lug on the left landing gear damper unit had failed. Such a failure allows the landing gear to be unrestrained and pivot outboard. Examination of the fracture surfaces showed that the eye-end had been cracked for some time before finally failing on this landing. The damage was limited to the left landing gear.