ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 199170
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| Date: | Wednesday 23 August 2017 |
| Time: | 10:30 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga II TC |
| Owner/operator: | Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc Trustee |
| Registration: | N414AG |
| MSN: | 32-57184 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Tockwith, Harrogate, North Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Retford (Gamston) Airport, Nottinghamshire (EGNE) |
| Bagby (Thirsk) Airfield, North Yorkshire (EGNG) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Engine failed in heavy rain and aircraft hit trees during forced landing, near Tockwith, 5 miles south of Linton-on-Ouse Airfield, North Yorkshire, 23 August 2017. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB repport into the accident:
"The pilot was flying in a northerly direction from Retford (Gamston) Airport towards Bagby (Thirsk) Airfield and the forecast weather was for rain showers and a consequential reduction in visibility to six kilometres. As the aircraft approached York, in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), the pilot encountered rain and observed on his Stormscope a large number of returns from precipitation close to his route. He reduced power and descended to 2,000 ft amsl (approximately 1,900 ft agl) but, once below cloud and in sight of the surface, the rain became extremely heavy. While he was levelling (he was unsure if he had begun to increase the power or not), the engine suddenly stopped and the propeller then windmilled.
No unusual noises were apparent before the engine stopped and it did not “cough”, as it might when starved of fuel, but the pilot immediately switched to the right fuel tank and turned-on the electric fuel pump. He also cycled the magneto switch and adjusted the mixture before switching back to the left fuel tank, which contained more fuel. None of these actions restarted the engine so he selected the alternate air intake source while establishing the aircraft in a glide, with 10º of flap extended for the optimum glide angle. When the engine still did not restart, he re-selected the primary air source and, passing approximately 1,000 ft agl, he chose a group of small fields to aim towards. He could see there were cattle in these fields and therefore assumed they would be relatively flat and not furrowed.
During his descent the pilot was in radio contact with RAF Linton-on-Ouse and when he declared an emergency he was asked to select the emergency code 7700 on his transponder.
He started to do this before realising that he ought to keep his attention outside, where he estimated that the slant visibility was approximately 3,000 m. He continued towards his chosen fields on a northerly heading, aware that the estimated wind at ground level was five knots from the southeast but thought it better to accept a tailwind than to look for an alternative landing site.
Approximately 200 ft above the chosen field he selected the landing gear down and full flap, maintaining a relatively fast airspeed to avoid stalling; he had read of this happening to other pilots when on final approach for a forced landing. He also managed to reach across the cockpit and release the door catch. He wanted to jam the door open with an available object but this proved impracticable from the left seat.
As the pilot flared the aircraft he retracted the flaps to try to improve the braking action on wet grass, and he turned off the master switch. The touchdown and ground roll felt relatively gentle and it became apparent that the aircraft was going to pass through an old hedge line consisting of numerous trees and bushes. The pilot steered towards a gap between two trees but the right wing and associated landing gear detached upon impact with one of the trees. The outboard section of the left wing also hit a tree and sustained damage, but without detaching from the fuselage. The aircraft then skidded across the adjoining field, losing the left main landing gear leg in the process. However, the nose wheel steering was still effective and the pilot used this to direct the aircraft between two ponds which he spotted ahead.
The aircraft came to a halt approximately one metre from the edge of one of the ponds and the pilot, who was uninjured, escaped through the door without difficulty.
He checked the left wing tank and estimated it still held 25 gallons of fuel but the tank in the right wing had burst and he was unable to determine how much fuel it contained at touchdown.
Engineers inspected the engine and noted the paper air filter element was swollen and puffy, indicating that it had been very wet but had begun to dry out. The air filter was replaced and the engine subsequently started and ran normally.
It was assessed that the extremely heavy rain had caused the paper element in the air filter to become saturated with water and this had starved the engine of air.
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report the airframe sustained "extensive damage". This may have had a bearing on the fact that the FAA cancelled the US registration N414AG with effect from 26 October 2017
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a3cc33340f0b64cbff79446/PA-32R-301T_N414AG_01-18.pdf
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=414AG
3. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15490708.Lucky_escape_as_aircraft_crashes_and_loses_a_wing/_/
4. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n414ag#e96075a
5. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/light-aircraft-loses-wing-after-miracle-crash-landing-in-north-yorkshire-field-1-8717788
6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-41023806
7. http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2017-08-23/planes-engine-fails-forcing-pilot-to-make-emergency-landing/
8. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/NEWS/15490666.Lucky_escape_as_plane_crashes_in_North_Yorkshire_field/
9. https://www.minsterfm.com/news/local/2362433/light-plane-comes-down-in-tockwith/
Images:
Photo (c) AAIB
Media:
Just cleared from a small plane that came down due to engine failure at 10.30 nr Tockwith.
— Sgt Andy Graham (@KnaresPolice) 23 augustus 2017
Great piloting skills resulting in no injuries 👍 pic.twitter.com/CFNcHGdwjY
We attended this today too. Luckily no-one hurt and no action required from ourselves. https://t.co/qhGIcAWdAx
— North Yorkshire Fire (@NorthYorksFire) August 23, 2017
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Aug-2017 14:51 | Rumbachtaler | Added |
| 23-Aug-2017 14:58 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Embed code] |
| 23-Aug-2017 15:22 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Embed code] |
| 23-Aug-2017 15:22 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location] |
| 29-Aug-2017 12:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total occupants, Location, Source, Embed code] |
| 04-Sep-2017 05:54 | MB1 | Updated [Location, Embed code, Photo, ] |
| 15-Sep-2017 22:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location] |
| 11-Jan-2018 11:41 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Photo, ] |
| 12-Jan-2018 21:05 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Jan-2018 21:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Feb-2018 18:15 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
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