What happened
On 6 October 2012, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration G-BJUR, was conducting a private flight to Skegness Airfield in Lincolnshire. The weather conditions at the time were calm with fine visibility. The aircraft landed on Runway 21, a grass strip measuring 799 m by 23 m. Due to heavy rainfall the previous night, the surface of the runway was damp.
Following touchdown, the aircraft encountered an uneven section of the airstrip. This bump caused the aircraft to veer toward the left, moving off the prepared runway surface and onto a longer, wet grass area adjacent to a fence line. While the pilot managed to regain directional control, the aircraft continued traveling parallel to the fence. The pilot decided to allow the aircraft to roll to a stop rather than attempting to brake or turn back onto the runway. During this rollout, the left wing tip struck a steel gate post, resulting in damage to the left wing. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the runway conditions and the aircraft's path of travel. It was established that the aircraft had departed the prepared runway surface due to an irregularity in the airstrip. The investigation also noted the pilot's decision-making regarding the landing roll and the impact with the gate post.