ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 190841
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| Date: | Wednesday 25 June 2008 |
| Time: | 17:48 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-201T Cherokee Turbo Arrow III |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | G-BFLI |
| MSN: | 28R-7803134 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Engine model: | Teledyne Continental Motors TSIo-360-FB |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bradford Leigh, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Elstree, Hertfordshire (ETR/EGTR) |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 25-06-2008 when force landed into a freshwater fishing lake at Bradford Leigh, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire: The aircraft was on its first flight after having had two new cylinders fitted to the engine. After approximately 90 minutes the engine started making an unusual sound and, fearing an imminent catastrophic engine failure or fire, the pilot elected to shut it down and make a forced landing. The aircraft came to rest in a lake; the pilot escaped with only minor injuries. As a precaution, he was taken to hopsital at Trowbridge for a check up. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The aircraft was on its first flight after having had two new cylinders fitted to the engine. Two ground runs were
completed satisfactorily prior to the accident flight. About 90 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the engine started to make what the pilot described as a “fluttering” noise and began to lose power. The engine oil temperature and pressure appeared normal and he varied the throttle setting slightly to see if the unusual noise would change.
A few seconds later the No 2, 4 and 6 cylinder exhaust gas temperature (EGT) readings on the engine data management system dropped. The pilot, fearing that a serious engine problem or fire might develop, elected to shut down the engine, put out a MAYDAY call, and carry out a forced landing.
The pilot reported that there was a tailwind of approximately 30-40 knots during the descent. As he turned onto final for his chosen field, he realised that with the given headwind he would be unable to reach the field and was likely to collide with some trees. He elected not to lower the landing gear, selected full flap and attempted to reduce his airspeed as far as possible, making a late turn onto a downwind heading.
The aircraft struck a hedge, which caused the left wing to detach at the root, passed through the hedge and came to rest almost entirely submerged in a lake. The pilot, who was wearing a three-point harness, was able to exit the aircraft unaided, and sustained only minor injuries".
Nature of Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Aircraft damaged beyond economic repair" (the aircraft was almost entirely submerged in a freshwater fishing lake, with only the tail fin and cabin roof above the surface: the pilot sat on the cabin roof awaiting rescue!). As a result, the registration G-BFLI was cancelled by the CAA on 05-02-2009 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f58640f0b613460005d7/Piper_PA-28R-201T_Turbo_Cherokee_Arrow_III__G-BFLI_09-09.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BFLI
3. Video Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7475864.stm
4. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000967322.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2016 15:51 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 24-Oct-2016 15:52 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 16-Oct-2018 12:43 | BEAVERSPOTTER | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 10-Oct-2020 04:51 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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