What happened
On 7 August 2002, a Piper PA-28-161, registration G-BUFH, was conducting a private flight when it experienced a runway excursion at Bourn Airfield, Cambridgeshortshire. As the pilot approached the airfield, they were unable to establish radio contact with the Bourn Airfield Ground (A/G) station. Consequently, the pilot used the windsock to assess local conditions, noting winds of approximately 120 degrees at less than 5 knots, and opted to approach Runway 19.
After an initial missed approach due to being too high, the pilot attempted a second approach. Although the pilot noted the aircraft was high and fast, they utilized a side-slip maneuver to reduce altitude and decided to continue the landing. The aircraft floated along the runway, touching down significantly past the threshold—estimated by the pilot to be between 200 and 300 metres from the threshold, though ground observers placed the touchdown at roughly 400 metres.
Realizing the aircraft would not stop before the end of the runway, the pilot attempted to steer toward a taxiway on the right. During this maneuver, the left main wheel left the asphalt surface and entered a ditch, causing the aircraft to rotate left and come to a halt. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage to the left aileron and flap.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the runway characteristics, noting that Runway 19 featured a dry asphalt surface with a 1% downslope and a published landing distance of 633 metres. The investigation also considered the pilot's experience and the specific circumstances of the approach, including the lack of radio communication and the decision-making process regarding the second approach attempt.