What happened
On 19 October 2005, a Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer, registration G-LACD, was conducting a training flight at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester. The flight involved a student pilot and an instructor practicing glide approaches. During the approach, the aircraft was flying with full flaps deployed. The instructor noted that the aircraft was maintaining an excessive height and suggested the student use a sideslip technique to increase the descent rate.
As the aircraft approached the runway threshold, it was traveling faster than normal. The aircraft was using Runway 09 Left, a grass surface that had been made wet by recent rain. Although the aircraft had not touched down by the halfway point of the runway, the instructor decided not to initiate a go-around. This decision was influenced by concerns regarding the aircraft's ability to clear obstacles during a climb-out, as the engine was known to have a slight lag in power response.
Upon touchdown, the crew applied heavy braking. During the deceleration, the instructor turned the aircraft to the right, at which point the wheels appeared to lock. The aircraft subsequently veered into a boundary hedge, resulting in damage to the port wing leading edge and wing tip. Both occupants escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the approach stability and the environmental conditions at the aerodrome. It was established that the aircraft was following a relatively early approach path that was not stabilized. The investigation also reviewed the performance of the aircraft on the specific runway surface. While a paved, dry runway would have required a ground roll of approximately 256 m, the wet grass surface significantly increased the required stopping distance, with estimates placing the necessary roll between 330 m and 410 m.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an unstabilised approach that fell outside of normal parameters.
- A lack of timely intervention by the instructor to execute a go-around contributed to the event.
- The aircraft was excessively high and fast when crossing the runway threshold.
- The wet grass surface of the runway increased the required landing roll distance.
- The instructor's decision-making was influenced by the aircraft's known engine response lag and the desire to avoid obstacles on the climb-out path.