Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-34-220T Seneca IV, registration G-BZTG, manufactured in 1999. It was powered by two Continental TSIO-360-RB1B piston engines. The flight was a private trip from Alderney to Little Snoring Airfield in Norfolk, with a crew of one and two passengers on board. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence and had 352 hours of total flying experience, including 279 hours on type.
Accident Sequence
On 15 December 2001 at 1045 UTC, the aircraft arrived at Little Snoring under good weather conditions with a light north-westerly wind. The pilot conducted an approach to Runway 10, which has a paved surface measuring 770 metres in length and 16 metres in width. During the approach, the pilot observed a pile of sugar beet located close to the right side of the runway threshold. Distracted by this, the pilot flared the aircraft too high, resulting in a hard landing that caused the left main tyre to burst.
After touchdown, the aircraft slewed to the left and departed the runway into a ploughed field. The left main and nose landing gears collapsed, and the propellers struck the surface. The nose cone, propellers, left main and nose landing gears, and the engines (shock loaded) sustained damage.
Occupant Safety
The pilot and both passengers were wearing harnesses with upper body restraint and all escaped without injury.
Airfield Information
The runways at Little Snoring Airfield are unlicensed and therefore not subject to the obstacle clearance requirements that apply to licensed runways.