What happened
On 27 July 2012, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-KATS, was performing a private flight from Ledbury to Eastbach (Spence) Airfield. During the landing attempt on the 470-metre grass runway, the aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown, resulting in a bounce and a period of floating.
Upon the second touchdown, the pilot assessed the available stopping distance and the proximity of trees at the end of the runway. Noticing that the aircraft might not stop safely before the hedge at the runway extremity, the pilot initiated a go-around. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a hedge at the far end of the strip and crashed into an adjacent field. The impact caused the left wing to be torn away, and the aircraft subsequently caught fire. Both occupants sustained minor injuries and managed to exit the cabin through the windscreen transparency after the door proved difficult to reach.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight conditions and the pilot's decision-making process. While the windsock indicated calm conditions, the investigation considered that any existing wind would likely have been a tailwind, complicating the landing. The pilot's approach was flown at 55 kt IAS with full flaps. The investigation also looked into the pilot's perception of the nearby trees, which had influenced the approach angle.
Findings
- The pilot's approach was steeper than intended due to the perceived presence of trees near the airfield.
- This steeper approach contributed to a misjudged flare and the subsequent heavy landing.
- The decision to initiate the go-around was made too late to avoid the hedge at the end of the runway.