Piper PA-34 Seneca V, N199PS, 27 September 2011

Piper PA-34 Seneca V, N199PS

Summary:

The pilot made an approach to land on Runway 12 at Bembridge, an airfield he had not flown to before. The aircraft bounced on landing which surprised him. A second, harder bounce occurred before he flew a go-around. The second approach and subsequent landing were reported as smooth. After shutdown, the pilot noticed damage to the tips of the right propeller and a later inspection by an engineer identified a crease in the right wing.

The pilot reported that despite a smooth flight, a number of the passengers had become air sick and vomited. He considered that this was a distraction and may have contributed to his reluctance to go around after the first bounce. He also stated that the runway had a downward slope which he was not expecting as it was not mentioned in his airfield reference material (a popular airfield guide and the local gliding club website). The pilot considered that whilst this was not causal, it contributed to the event.

The aircraft’s weight and balance were within landing limits. The repair agency reported no evidence of pre-existing conditions that would have weakened the damaged area of the wing.

Download report:

Piper PA-34 Seneca V N199PS 01-12.pdf (208.06 kb)

Published 10 December 2014