Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, G-AWET, 10 October 2005
Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, G-AWET
Summary:
The aircraft was landing on Runway 36. The pilot considered that the light tail wind component would be offset by the runway’s 1.8% uphill gradient. He reported that at a very late stage on final approach he realised that the aircraft would land too far into the runway. The aircraft touched down and he retracted the flaps and applied full power in order to convert the landing into a ‘touch and go’. The aircraft became airborne again but then seemed to sink. The pilot heard a loud bang and the aircraft came to rest in a field beyond the end of the runway. Both passengers were seriously injured and the pilot received minor injuries. The aircraft itself was severely damaged but there was no fire. The pilot stated that the accident was a result of his misjudgement and a possible increase in the tailwind during the latter stages of the final approach. He confirmed that the engine had produced full power during the touch and go but could not recall what speed the aircraft had achieved after it became airborne again, although he was not aware of hearing the stall warning. Nor could he remember how far along the runway the aircraft had touched down. The ground marks indicated that in the process of the touch and go the aircraft had struck a low bank just beyond the threshold of Runway 18. It had then flown approximately 125 metres across a field, struck another low bank and came to rest about 50 metres into the second field beyond the runway. The LDR for grass Runway 36, which is 493 metres long, was 504 metres (dry grass). A landing on Runway 18 would have produced an LDR of 477 metres (dry grass). The pilot reported that the grass was damp. Wet grass would have increased the LDR by 35%.
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