AAIB investigation to Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, G-AYIG
Ground loop after attempted PFL, West Wales Airport, 18 October 2018.
Summary:
The pilot was completing his third circuit and planned to execute a practice forced landing (PFL) on Runway 07 from mid-way along the downwind leg. There was some right drift on short final on the previous landings, so he offset the PFL approach to the left of the runway extended centreline. The expected right drift did not occur, so the pilot rolled the aircraft to the right to regain the centreline. The aircraft’s response was greater than expected, possibly due to the northerly crosswind lifting the left wing, causing the right wing, and the propeller to contact the runway surface. The aircraft slewed across the runway, departing the left side. It skidded left as it rotated to the right, returning to the runway as it did so. The left wing then contacted the runway surface before the aircraft came to rest.
The pilot commented that he had overestimated the effect of the crosswind and his attempt to re-align with the runway centreline caused the aircraft to roll excessively. He suggested a number of factors which may have contributed to the event. Most significantly, he identified that he was overly confident that he could recover the situation once it had diverged from the initial plan, so continued to attempt to land the aircraft rather than going around.
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