What happened
On 28 September 2009, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-LFSC, was conducting a private flight to South Cave (Mount Airey) Airfield in East Yorkshire. Upon arrival, the pilot flew over the airfield to determine the active runway. Due to a missing windsock at the uphill end of the runway, the pilot elected to land uphill on Runway 07.
During the landing sequence, the pilot made three unsuccessful attempts where the aircraft remained too high. On the final approach, the aircraft encountered a strong tailwind, reported at 30 knots from 300 degrees. After touching down near the runway threshold on the 732 m grass strip, the pilot experienced a loss of rudder control, likely caused by a wind gust. This resulted in the aircraft departing the runway to the left and entering an adjacent cultivated field. The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse, leading to a propeller strike and significant engine shock-loading. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the pilot's decision-making and the environmental conditions at the airfield. It was noted that the pilot had remained on the Humberside radio frequency instead of switching to the local airfield frequency. The investigation established that had the pilot switched to the airfield frequency, ground personnel would have advised him to land in the opposite direction to avoid the strong tailwind.
Findings
- The pilot landed in an uphill direction despite the presence of a strong tailwind.
- A lack of communication with ground personnel contributed to the decision to use Runway 07.
- The loss of rudder control during the landing roll caused the aircraft to depart the runway.