What happened
On 27 October 2010, a Piper PA-31 Navajo, registration G-FILL, was performing a private flight at a private airstrip located at Wentworth, Rotherham. The airfield features a grass runway oriented 110/290°, where landings must be conducted in the 110° direction. The runway surface consists of several level sections, with the terrain rising steeply after the initial level portion before sloping gently toward the end of the strip.
During the landing, the pilot touched down on the first level section of the runway. Although the pilot applied the brakes almost immediately after touchdown, the aircraft failed to decelerate effectively. As the aircraft continued down the runway, the pilot steered toward a hedge to avoid an approaching dry stone wall at the runway's edge. Despite these efforts, the left wing of the aircraft struck the wall, causing severe damage to the nose, propellers, and the outboard section of the left wing.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway conditions and the pilot's actions during the landing roll. While the grass was closely mown and firm, recent rainfall had left the surface damp. Evidence from police photographs indicated that the main wheels were skidding on the wet grass for nearly the entire 630-metre landing roll.
The pilot reported that the approach was flown directly into the setting sun, which created difficulty in monitoring the airspeed indicator. While the pilot noted that the airspeed might have been slightly high, he did not initially perceive the groundspeed to be unusual. The pilot attributed the failure to stop to the slippery runway surface.
Findings
- The pilot was uninjured and able to evacuate the aircraft normally.
- The primary cause of the overrun was the lack of effective braking action due to the wet grass surface.
- Visual monitoring of airspeed was compromised by the glare of the setting sun.