What happened
On 14 August 2011, a Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow, registration G-GYMM, was performing a private flight from Gloucester Airport to Shobdon Airfield. The flight proceeded without incident until the final stages of the approach to Runway 27. While flying the approach with full flaps at the recommended speed of 75 kt, the aircraft experienced an unexpected impact with the runway during the roundout phase. This heavy contact caused the aircraft to bounce before the pilot successfully completed the landing and taxied to the parking area.
The investigation
Following the landing, the pilot conducted a pre-flight walk-round inspection for a planned return flight to Gloucester. During this check, the pilot identified wrinkling on the left wing skin. The aircraft was subsequently inspected, which revealed that both wings had suffered severe structural distortion. The damage was so extensive that the aircraft was declared an economic total loss. Air traffic controllers at the tower noted that while the approach appeared well-flown, the aircraft seemed to flare at approximately 10 feet before dropping rapidly onto the mainwheels.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained major damage to both wings, rendering it beyond economic repair.
- The pilot experienced a heavy landing and a subsequent bounce, though the exact cause of the initial impact remained uncertain.
- The pilot suggested the impact might have been caused by premature ground contact or a misjudged roundout.
- Witnesses in the control tower observed the aircraft dropping abruptly after a flare at a height of 10 feet.