What happened
On 18 October 2000, a Piper PA-28-180, registration G-AVNS, was performing a private flight at Andrewsfield (Saling) Aerodrome in Essex. During the takeoff roll, the pilot encountered a rain shower that caused a significant reduction in forward visibility. Due to the wet condition of the grass runway, the decision was made to proceed with the takeoff rather than aborting.
While airborne, the pilot observed that visibility through the side windows remained much clearer than through the front windscreen. During the initial approach to land, the obscured view made it difficult to judge the flare, leading the pilot to initiate a go-around as the aircraft began to float. For the subsequent approach, the pilot utilized a series of side-slips and 'S' turns to leverage the better visibility from the side windows.
Although the second touchdown appeared uneventful, the aircraft struck a bump on the runway shortly after contact, which launched the plane back into the air. Attempting to cushion the following impact, the pilot applied back pressure on the control column; however, the impaired visibility prevented an accurate height judgment, resulting in a second ground impact. As the pilot attempted to apply power for another go-around, the nose oleo strut collapsed, causing the aircraft to stop abruptly on the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the visibility issues and the sequence of the landing. The pilot noted that a dirty windscreen may have prevented rain from clearing effectively, contributing to the obscured view. Furthermore, the pilot acknowledged that waiting for the rain to cease before attempting to land would have been a safer course of action.