What happened
On 9 August 2003, a Piper PA-28 Cherokee, registration EI-BDR, was conducting a private flight from Prestwick Airport to Kerry Airport. During the flight, the pilot observed deteriorating visibility while navigating the coastline. After being informed that visibility at Dublin Airport had dropped to 3,500 metres, the pilot requested a diversion to Gormanston Airfield.
While flying south along the coast near Carlingford Lough, the pilot spotted what appeared to be a small airstrip featuring a windsock and a helipad. Due to the worsening weather, the pilot decided to land at this location to wait for better conditions. The aircraft touched down using full flaps on a field adjacent to a helipad. While attempting to slow the aircraft using progressive braking, the aircraft encountered an upslope. This caused the EI-BDR to become airborne briefly before striking the ground nose gear first. The nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to a stop 140 metres from the initial touchdown point after rotating 180 degrees. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
AAIB investigators examined the landing site and the aircraft's condition. The investigation established that the area the pilot had identified as an airstrip was actually a field. While the terrain appeared level from the air, measurements revealed a small valley situated between the point where the aircraft became airborne again and the final resting position. The investigation also noted that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the engine suffered a shockload, alongside the destruction of the nose gear.