What happened
On 15 May 1999, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration G-BLWD, was performing a private flight from Le Touquet to Elstree Aerodrome. The weather conditions at the destination were reported as CAVOK with calm winds. During the approach to Runway 08, which features a 2% downhill slope, the aircraft experienced an initial touchdown followed by a bounce.
Upon the second touchdown, the nose landing gear was forced upward into the aircraft's structure, causing the windscreen to shatter. While the main landing gear remained undamaged, both propellers struck the runway surface, resulting in the right propeller being written off. The pilot managed to bring the aircraft to a controlled stop on the asphalt surface. There were no injuries to the pilot or the three passengers on board.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot conducted several circuits with a Chief Flying Instructor to evaluate the landing performance on Runway 08. This flight demonstrated that the approach path used during the accident was excessively steep and the flare was too abrupt. The investigation also considered the impact of the runway's physical characteristics, noting that the pilot's familiarity with Runway 26 may have influenced his perception of the approach. It was suggested that the visual cues provided by the downhill slope of Runway 08 might have deceived the pilot regarding the necessary approach parameters.