What happened
On 14 May 1999, a Piper PA-28-140, registration G-SCPL, was completing a local navigation exercise when it approached Runway 04 at Gloucestershire Airport (Staverton). The weather conditions at the time of the incident featured good visibility and light, variable winds.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft experienced a bounce upon initial contact with the runway. Following a second touchdown, the aircraft began to veer toward the right side of the runway. In an attempt to correct this movement, the pilot applied a counter-correction that caused the aircraft to swing toward the left. This maneuver resulted in the aircraft exiting the runway surface and striking a marker board with the starboard wing leading edge. The aircraft eventually came to a halt on the grass area situated to the left of the runway.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing roll and the subsequent loss of directional control. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft sustained minor damage to the starboard flap and the wing leading edge. No injuries were reported, and the pilot, who was a student with 44 total flying hours, was not harmed during the event.