Accident Details
On 27 October 2010 at 0708 UTC, a Piper PA-31 Navajo, registration G-FILL, operated on a private flight from a strip at Hague Lane, Wentworth, Rotherham. The aircraft was a 1979 model with two Lycoming TIO-540-A2C piston engines. The sole occupant, the pilot, held an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence and was 67 years old, with 7,952 total flying hours (533 on type). The pilot reported no injuries.
Flight History
The strip's runway was oriented 110/290° with several level changes, requiring all landings to be made in the 110° direction. Touchdown was to occur on a level portion before a steep rise that levelled out again, with the final part sloping gently down toward a dry stone wall at the end. The surface, from police photographs taken soon after the accident, showed closely mown grass and firm ground, despite indications of recent rain. Wind was 220°/10 kt, and the pilot noted that the approach was directly into the setting sun, making airspeed monitoring difficult.
During the landing roll, the pilot applied brakes soon after touchdown but experienced negligible braking action, even with firmer pressure. Unable to stop, he steered right toward a hedge but could not prevent the left wing from striking the stone wall, causing severe damage outboard of the engine. The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing, propellers, nose, and right wing tip. The pilot evacuated normally and was uninjured.
Police photographs indicated that the mainwheels were skidding on the wet grass for almost the entire landing roll, estimated at about 630 metres. The pilot acknowledged that his airspeed might have been somewhat high but did not feel his groundspeed was unusual at touchdown, attributing the lack of braking to the slippery runway surface.
Damage
The aircraft suffered damage to the left wing, propellers, nose, and right wing tip. The pilot was not injured.