AAIB investigation to Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, G-BDWY

Loss of control on landing, Great Massingham Airfield, Norfolk, 6 September 2016.

Summary:

The aircraft was landing on Runway 04 at Great Massingham when the accident occurred. The weather was fine, and the windsock on the airfield indicated that the wind was calm. The pilot reported encountering turbulence at about 50 ft and that the aircraft touched down and bounced before he could regain full control.

The pilot attempted to perform a go-around, selecting full throttle and reducing the flap setting to 10°. The aircraft reached about 100 ft but did not climb as expected. With trees and a barn at the end of the runway, the pilot decided to land in a ploughed field to his left. The aircraft came to rest upright with the right undercarriage leg detached and the nose leg buckled. The pilot was uninjured.

In the process of securing the aircraft, the pilot noticed that the throttle control was sticking and its movement was limited. He thought that this may have been a result of the initial touchdown (which reportedly also caused the nosewheel to puncture) and that the aircraft had been unable to climb away as a result.

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Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, G-BDWY 12-16

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Glossary of abbreviations

Published 8 December 2016