ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 147186
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| Date: | Friday 27 July 2012 |
| Time: | 00:30 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee |
| Owner/operator: | Trustees of the G-KATS Group |
| Registration: | G-KATS |
| MSN: | 28-7325022 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1972 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Eastbach (Spence) Airfield, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Ledbury Airfield, Herefordshire |
| Spence Airfield, Eastbach, Gloucestershire | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) in a landing accident at English Bicknor, near Symonds Yat, as the aircraft was approaching Eastbach (Spence) Airfield, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. As the plane came into land, the wheels clipped a hedge at the end of the runway causing the plane to spin over and lose a wing. A fire erupted. Both on board survived with minor injuries. Per the summary from the official AAIB report:
"The aircraft took off from Ledbury at 11:30 hours for the short flight to Eastbach (Spence) Airfield. Conditions were fine, with a light wind of about 5 knots from the north-west. The pilot intended landing on grass Runway 19, which was 470 metres long with an upward slope. At the end of the short flight, which was uneventful, the pilot flew a preliminary circuit to check the wind and the presence of obstacles. The wind sock indicated calm conditions and trees were seen on the approach to the runway.
The pilot reported that the approach appeared normal and was flown at 55 knots IAS, with full flap set. However, the touchdown was heavy and the aircraft bounced and floated for a distance, before touching down again. The pilot judged that the aircraft would not stop before the hedge at the end of the runway and decided to abandon the landing. He applied full power and retracted one stage of flap.
During the go-around, the aircraft struck the top of the hedge. The left wing was torn off and the remainder of the aircraft continued into the field beyond, coming to rest on its left side. It immediately caught fire, with flames entering the cabin. Although the cabin door (on the right side of the fuselage) was successfully unlatched, the occupants were unable to reach up to open it due to the attitude of the aircraft. The pilot, therefore, kicked the windscreen transparency out, helped his passenger out through the gap and then vacated the aircraft himself, before alerting the emergency services by mobile telephone.
The pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries but the aircraft was destroyed by the fire. The pilot thought that the trees near the strip had caused him to approach steeper than he otherwise would, which contributed to a misjudged flare and the heavy landing. Although the windsock indicated calm conditions, it was also likely that any wind there may have been would have been a tailwind. He observed that the failure to clear the hedge was ultimately due to a slightly late decision to go-around."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "The aircraft was destroyed by fire". As a result, the registration G-KATS cancelled by the CAA as "aircraft destroyed" on 14/9/2012
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f152e5274a1317000375/Piper_PA-28-140_Cherokee_G-KATS_10-12.pdf
2. CAA: https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=reg&fullregmark=KATS
3. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/9844674.Pair_escape_plane_crash_near_Ross_on_Wye/
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-19021237
5. http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/07/aircraft-crashes-in-forest-of-dean.html
6. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1008622
Media:
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee G-KATS at Wolverhampton (Halfpenny Green) Airport 10/7/2010:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Jul-2012 03:23 | gerard57 | Added |
| 05-Aug-2012 11:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Aug-2012 12:55 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
| 11-May-2013 10:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 16-Sep-2015 16:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Jan-2017 20:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 04-Jan-2017 20:33 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 04-Jan-2017 20:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
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