What happened
On 17 February 2007, a Piper PA-28R-200, registration G-TORC, was completing a private cross-country flight from Old Sarum to Sandown Airfield on the Isle of Wight. Due to soft surface conditions on the left side of Runway 05, the pilot was instructed to land on the right side of the runway.
During the approach, airfield personnel noted the aircraft appeared to be flying at a high angle, leading to concerns regarding a potential overshoot. The aircraft touched down approximately 250 metres beyond the threshold of Runway 05 and began to veer toward the left. Despite the pilot's attempts to maintain control using right rudder, the aircraft encountered rough ground on the left side of the runway. This resulted in a 90-degree ground loop, during which the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft eventually came to rest just off the runway edge. There were no injuries to the pilot or the three passengers on board.
The investigation
The investigation was informed by the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and a Mandatory Occurrence Report from the airfield operator. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing roll and the condition of the runway surface. The pilot indicated that the loss of directional control was caused by the aircraft encountering a combination of soft ground and a deep rut during the landing phase.