Incident Summary
On 24 September 2000, a Piper PA-28-161 registered G-GFTA sustained damage to its nose landing gear after veering off the runway at States of Guernsey Airport. The aircraft was on a training flight with a student pilot, who was the sole occupant. No injuries were reported.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft, a single-engine Piper PA-28-161 powered by a Lycoming O-320-D3G engine, was manufactured in 1999. The student pilot, aged 49, held a student pilot license and had accumulated 39 flying hours, of which 34 were on type. He had flown 5 hours in the preceding 28 days. The flight was a circuit practice session.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was conducting circuit practice on Runway 27 at Guernsey Airport. The surface wind was from 170 degrees at 6 knots, and the runway surface was damp. His intention was to perform a touch and go landing. After landing, he applied a small amount of power before raising the flaps. At that point, the aircraft began to veer to the left. The pilot applied the brakes, causing the aircraft to skid sideways, and it came to rest off the side of the runway.
Cause
The instructor assessed the cause of the incident as the too early application of power, which resulted in a swing to the left due to torque effect, compounded by the crosswind.