History of Flight
On 4 July 2004, a Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II (G-BJYG) departed Liverpool Airport at 1106 hrs for a local private flight. The pilot, a 56-year-old holder of a Private Pilot's Licence with 440 hours total experience (65 on type), was accompanied by his wife as passenger. The aircraft had been pre-flighted by the pilot, who had discovered water and debris in a fuel sample. After obtaining a clean sample, he proceeded with the flight.
About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot broadcast a 'PAN' call on the Liverpool Approach frequency, reporting that he was off Wallasey, losing altitude and losing power. Half a minute later, he issued a 'MAYDAY' call stating he was ditching the aircraft. The aircraft came down approximately 2 nm north of Wallasey in Liverpool Bay.
Training aircraft in the area flew over the ditching site but saw no sign of the aircraft or wreckage. Lifeboats launched quickly but found no evidence until the tide fell. At 1845 hrs, divers recovered the two bodies from the submerged aircraft.
Pilot Information
The pilot learned to fly at Liverpool Airport and obtained his PPL in 1992. He had flown regularly but in the three months before the accident had logged only one flight of one hour in a Cessna 172. He was described as a keen club flier, often flying with his wife.
Aircraft Information
G-BJYG was a 1981 Piper PA-28-161, powered by a Lycoming O-320-D3G engine. It was privately owned but operated by a flying club under a lease-back arrangement. The aircraft had two fuel tanks; the usual practice was to run on one tank for 30 minutes then switch. The day before the accident, the aircraft had flown for one hour, using fuel from both tanks.
Three fuel drains existed: one at the lower rear inboard edge of each tank and one from the engine fuel bowl. The Pilot's Operating Handbook required checking these drains pre-flight. Fuel drains were checked before the previous day's flight with no contamination found.
The aircraft's transponder selector was found in the 'standby' position. A GPS was fitted but no data was recovered.
Previous Engine Failure
On 15 May 2004, the same aircraft experienced an engine failure in flight, leading to a forced landing in a field. The aircraft was undamaged; an attempt to restart caused a small fire. After repairs, the engine ran satisfactorily and no fault was found. Fuel drained from the wings showed no water or contamination.
Meteorological Information
At 1120 hrs on 4 July 2004, Liverpool Airport reported surface wind 290°/15 kt, visibility 10 km, scattered cloud at 2,000 ft, temperature 16°C, dewpoint 10°C, pressure 1012 mb. No rain had fallen in the preceding 24 hours. At the ditching location, tide was high at 8 metres depth, wind north-westerly force 4, sea moderate with 1-metre swell.
Accident Site and Examination
The aircraft came to rest on the seabed on a heading of about 170°. At low tide, only the tip of the vertical stabiliser was visible; at high tide, it was 8 metres below the surface. The occupants were wearing secure lap and diagonal harnesses; the right-side entry door was open.
After recovery, examination showed extensive damage consistent with impact at a pitch attitude of 20° nose down, with 5-10° left bank and right yaw. The nose gear collapsed, both wings sustained leading edge damage (right wing separated), and the tail twisted. The propeller was undamaged, indicating the engine was not under power at impact. The throttle was at idle, mixture set to lean. Carburettor heat selection could not be determined due to damage.