What happened
On 15 April 2011, a Piper PA-34-200 Seneca, registration G-AZOT, was performing a private landing at Glenswinton, near Castle Douglas. The aircraft touched down on the centerline of Runway 03, which is a 380 m compacted gravel strip. After touchdown, the pilot retracted the flaps and initiated braking.
During the landing roll, the pilot noted that the right brake felt ineffective. In an attempt to maintain control, the pilot applied full right rudder and increased pressure to the left brake pedal while pumping the right brake. This action caused the aircraft to drift toward the left side of the runway. Approximately 70 m before the end of the runway, the aircraft was traveling at a low speed when the left wingtip struck a tree and the left propeller made contact with the ground. There were no fatalities and no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's braking system and the runway conditions. Inspection of the right brake unit revealed corrosion and only partial friction surface contact on the brake disc. The investigation also considered the runway surface, noting that the compacted gravel at Glenswinton may have provided less effective braking compared to a paved surface.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the left wingtip, rear spar, propeller, engine, and left landing gear.
- The pilot's estimated landing distance of 386 m was only marginally less than the total available runway length.
- The right brake's effectiveness was degraded by corrosion and insufficient contact between the friction surface and the brake disc.
- The compacted gravel surface of the runway likely contributed to reduced braking performance.