What happened
On 9 September 2001, a Piper PA-28R-200-2, registration G-AZOG, was performing a private flight from Southend to Stapleford Airfield. During the landing phase on the grass runway 28, the pilot reduced engine power following a standard approach. During this maneuver, the aircraft's descent rate increased, leading to a touchdown that occurred before the displaced landing threshold.
As a result of the early touchdown, the aircraft crossed the intersection where the grass surface meets the tarmac of runway 22L. Following the incident, the aircraft returned to Southend, where a low nose oleo extension was observed.
The investigation
Following the observation of the low oleo extension, a detailed engineering inspection was conducted on the aircraft. The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the nose landing gear assembly. The inspection revealed that the casting of the nose landing gear oleo housing had developed a crack. Investigators determined that this structural failure was a direct consequence of the landing conditions at Stapleford.
Findings
- The aircraft touched down short of the displaced threshold on the grass runway.
- The aircraft ran over the intersection of the grass and tarmac surfaces, which contributed to the damage.
- The landing resulted in a cracked nose landing gear oleo housing casting.