What happened
On 3 November 2012, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration D-EIBR, was engaged in a private flight for the purpose of practicing forced landings at Dornoch Airfield, Scotland. The flight originated from Inverness Airport, flying approximately 20 nautical miles north under fine weather conditions with light surface winds.
During the initial approach to Runway 28, the pilot experienced a sudden aerodynamic disturbance. Just before touchdown, the right wing lifted abruptly, causing the aircraft to pitch forward and yaw to the left. The pilot attempted to level the wings and apply full power to execute a go-around; however, the aircraft pitched violently nose-down. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground, veered off the runway, and came to a halt on the adjacent grass, where it slowly pitched forward and overturned.
Following the impact, the pilot was able to unbuckle his harness and make the aircraft safe, though he was initially trapped because both cabin doors were stuck. Rescuers arriving on the scene were also briefly unable to open the doors due to the door latches and the single roof latch, until the roof latch was released.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the impact. The pilot had decided to discontinue the first approach and instead perform a second practice landing on Runway 10, which was more favorable to the light easterly wind. This second approach was flown at a lower altitude and without the use of flaps, with the aircraft arriving at a speed of approximately 70 kt.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the engine, propeller, nose landing gear, cockpit, and forward fuselage.
- The pilot sustained no injuries.
- The primary cause of the accident was the sudden nose-down pitch and leftward yaw that occurred immediately before touchdown, which led to the aircraft departing the runway and overturning.