Flight Details
A Piper PA-28-161, registration G-BRJV, operated a private flight from Newcastle Airport to Kirkbride Airfield, Scotland. The pilot, aged 52, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 120 flying hours, with 98 hours on type. In the previous 90 days, he had flown 3 hours, and in the last 28 days, 1 hour. The aircraft was manufactured in 1988 and powered by a Lycoming O-320-D3G piston engine.
Sequence of Events
On 17 May 1998 at 1100 UTC, after spending approximately one hour on the ground at a Flyin event, the pilot and three passengers boarded for the return flight. Weather conditions were good with a light westerly wind. Due to high aircraft movements, the pilot experienced delays before being cleared to enter the western end of Runway 28 and backtrack expeditiously. To allow room for other aircraft exiting the runway, the pilot turned tightly onto the runway. During this maneuver, the left wing struck a post. The pilot continued taxiing to the beginning of the runway, stopped the aircraft, and examined the damage.
The pilot noted a crack in the left wing tip cover and dents on the leading edge. After verifying there were no loose panels and that the flying controls had full and free movement, he restarted the engine and requested take-off clearance from Kirkbride Radio. The flight back to Newcastle was uneventful, and the pilot detected no abnormal control or trim movements. Upon landing, he reported the damage to his flying club.
Damage and Aftermath
The flying club conducted an initial assessment and asked an external engineering organization to attend and arrange repairs. However, when the engineer arrived and saw the external damage, he refused to clear the aircraft to fly in that condition. The aircraft was then transported by road to a repair agency, where a detailed examination revealed the true extent of damage: damage to the front and rear spar attachments and various left wing ribs, in addition to the cracked wing tip cover and dents to the leading edge.
Reference to Previous AAIB Report
The AAIB Bulletin noted a similar precedent: Bulletin 12/96 contained a report of a fatal accident involving a Pierre Robin DR400/180, whose left wing separated in flight. Evidence indicated that the wing had sustained damage in a ground collision with a bale of hay. The investigation concluded: "It is therefore entirely conceivable that the pilot may have been misled as to the extent of the damage sustained, finding only light scuff marks under the leading edge and believing that it was safe for him to make the return journey before having the wing professionally assessed."