What happened
On 26 March 2013, a Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III, registration G-OARO, was conducting a private flight from Wycombe Air Park to Bembridge Airport. The flight was accompanied by another aircraft, and the passenger on board was a pilot intended to take command for the return journey.
Upon approaching Bembridge, the pilot was unable to establish contact with the airfield via radio. Observing a clear circuit, the pilot positioned the aircraft for a landing on Runway 12. During the final approach, the aircraft was initially noted to be slightly fast and high, but the pilot corrected the flight path approximately 1 nm from the threshold.
As the aircraft neared the runway, the pilot reduced engine power too early. This caused the aircraft to sink and strike soft ground approximately 18 m before the paved threshold. The impact created deep ruts in the earth. The aircraft then transitioned from the soft ground onto the hard runway surface, where it continued forward before the pilot was able to taxi it clear of the runway and shut down the engine.
The investigation
Investigators examined the impact site and the aircraft's condition following the incident. There were no fatalities and no injuries to the two occupants. The investigation focused on the sequence of the approach and the physical evidence at the runway threshold.
Analysis of the touchdown area confirmed that the aircraft had struck the unpaved ground short of the runway. The inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller, the right wing, and the landing gear, as well as shock loading to the engine. It was determined that the most significant damage occurred as the aircraft moved from the soft terrain onto the paved runway surface.