What happened
On 8 April 2001, at approximately 1240 hrs, a Piper PA-28-201T, registration G-DDAY, was involved in a ground incident at Tatenhill Airfield in North-West Leicester. The aircraft was performing a private flight and was in the process of back tracking Runway 26, moving from the parking area toward the tower apron.
During the taxi, the pilot observed another aircraft on approach to Runway 26. In an effort to clear the runway quickly, the pilot increased the taxi speed. As the aircraft approached the turn-off to the apron, the pilot applied the brakes; however, the speed could not be reduced in time to complete the turn safely. Consequently, the aircraft left the runway at the threshold and entered a ploughed field located just beyond the airfield boundary. The aircraft sank into the soft earth, resulting in very slight damage to the propeller, though the rest of the airframe remained undamaged. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of movements on the airfield and the pilot's actions regarding speed control and runway clearance. The investigation established that the pilot's decision to increase speed to avoid a conflict with an approaching aircraft led to the loss of control during the turn.