Incident Overview
On 4 June 2001 at 0915 UTC, a Piper PA-28-161, registration G-BJBW, operated on a private cross-country flight from Popham Airfield, Hampshire to Chatteris Airfield, Norfolk. The aircraft was conducting a landing when it overran the runway, sustaining damage to the nosewheel, propeller, lower engine mounts, right main gear, and right wing. The sole occupant, the pilot, was not injured.
Flight Details
The pilot, a 30-year-old with 475 total flying hours (9 on type), planned the arrival using a commercially available VFR flight guide. Inbound to Chatteris, he attempted radio contact on the occasional air/ground frequency but received no response, as anticipated. He assessed the surface wind as 280°/10 kt based on a local forecast and visual observation, and initially selected Runway 29 (425 m grass). However, noticing obstructions on the approach path, he executed a go-around and repositioned for Runway 01 (570 m grass).
Approach and Landing
The approach to Runway 01 was flown with full flap. The aircraft crossed a series of telegraph-type poles on the approach path, then the pilot performed a sideslip to lose height before straightening for landing. Touchdown occurred with between one-half and one-third of the runway remaining. The pilot applied maximum brake pressure but could not stop the aircraft before the runway end. The aircraft slewed right, overran, and crossed a 1-metre-deep ditch, coming to rest approximately 3 metres beyond the runway.
Contributing Factors
The VFR flight guide used by the pilot did not depict the obstructions on the approach to Runway 01. The pilot had contacted the aerodrome operator for permission but was not informed of potential obstructions. Chatteris, being an unlicensed aerodrome, was not required to comply with CAP 168 licensing standards but was subject to CAP 428 safety guidelines. CAP 428 recommends adjusting landing distances when obstacles cannot be removed and suggests that managers give visiting pilots prior warning of hazards.
Performance Considerations
The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the aircraft specifies a landing distance from 50 ft of 343 m and a landing roll of 177 m for a touchdown at minimum speed on a dry, level, paved runway with nil wind. The General Aviation Safety Sense Leaflet 7B advises pilots to apply safety factors, such as a 20% increment for grass surfaces and a total 43% factor for other less-than-ideal conditions, as manufacturer data may be unfactored.
The pilot stated he was unaware of how far down the runway he had touched down.