Accident Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee G-BCDJ,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 89068
 
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Date:Thursday 13 January 2011
Time:10:38 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: G-BCDJ
MSN: 28-24276
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Knighton Farm, Inkberrow, near Redditch, Worcestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire (EGBW)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: AAIB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 13-01-2011 when a fuel leak in the cockpit ignited. Accoarding to a contemporary press report (see link #3):

"FIREFIGHTERS say that a pilot is lucky to have escaped injury or worse as the light aircraft he was flying caught fire this morning, forcing him to make a controlled landing in a farmer’s field in Knighton, just outside Inkberrow, near Redditch.

Following an alert at around 10.50am, two pumps from Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, both from Redditch, attended along with two pumps from neighbouring Warwickshire, and on arrival at the scene, firefighters found a fuel spillage and a small fire in the cockpit which had already been extinguished.

The pilot was unhurt as a result of the incident, but was checked at the scene by ambulance personnel as a precaution.

Phil Griffiths, station commander at Redditch Fire Station said: “The pilot did really well to land the aircraft safely, especially considering it was fully loaded with fuel at the time.”

He confirmed that there had been a small amount of damage to a fence at the farm as the aircraft came down and that investigation into the cause of the fire was underway. Police also attended and the Civil Aviation Authority was informed.Firefighters left the scene once they were sure there was no further risk of fire, and the aircraft was later recovered."

UPDATE; According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident...

"The pilot departed Wellesbourne Airfield at around 10:20 hours for a local flight. After approximately 20 minutes of normal flight, the pilot moved his foot from the rudder pedal and heard a noise similar to the sound of stepping in a puddle. He reached down to the footwell and felt several millimetres of fluid, which smelt of fuel.

The pilot considered that he should land the aircraft as quickly as possible and selected a suitable field. During the landing roll, the aircraft hit a wire fence, there was a simultaneous flash in the aircraft cabin and the fuel ignited. The pilot moved across the passenger seat, out of the door and then from the wing onto the ground.

The aircraft continued to roll for a further 50 ft, before coming to rest. The interior of the aircraft continued to
burn fiercely, until a halon fire extinguisher fitted within the cockpit exploded and extinguished the fire. The pilot
was not injured."

Aircraft severely damaged, and later deemed to be an insurance write off. Registration G-BCDJ cancelled by the CAA as aircraft "destroyed" 04-08-2011

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: AAIB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

1. AAIB: http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Piper%20PA-28-140%20Cherokee,%20G-BCDJ%2007-11.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/
3. http://www.redditchadvertiser.co.uk/news/8790065.Pilot_had__lucky__escape_after_aircraft_caught_fire_near_Inkberrow/?ref=m
4. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-BCDJ/821795
5. http://www.hwfire.org.uk/news/2011-01-13-fire-service-called-after-small-aircraft-lands-in-field-near-inkberrow
6. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000497845.html
7. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384821/AAIB_Bulletin_7-2011.pdf (page 29)

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
15-Jan-2011 14:46 harro Added
15-Sep-2012 17:39 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
15-Sep-2012 17:41 Dr. John Smith Updated [Embed code, Damage, Narrative]
25-Nov-2016 18:20 Dr. John Smith Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
24-Dec-2021 17:26 harro Updated [[Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]]
24-Dec-2021 17:26 harro Updated [Accident report]

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