Date:	Wednesday 19 October 2016
Time:	12:55
Type:	Piper PA-44-180 Seminole
Owner/operator:	BAe Systems (Operations) Ltd
Registration:	G-BGCO
MSN:	44-7995128
Year of manufacture:	1978
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Accident
Location:	Warton Aerodrome, Preston, Lancashire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Cranfield Airport (EGTC)
Destination airport:	Warton Airport (WRT/EGNO)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, G-BGCO: Loss of directional control on landing, Warton Aerodrome, Lancashire, 19 October 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB report:

"The handling pilot reported that, following an uneventful flight from Cranfield and a base leg join, he carried out an approach to Runway 25. The surface was dry and the wind was light and from the north-west. The intention was to execute a ‘touch-and-go’ landing. Having confirmed that the other occupant had his feet clear of the rudder pedals, the touchdown was carried out on the mainwheels.

Immediately afterwards, the nosewheel came down very sharply onto the runway surface and the aircraft began diverging to the left. Observers noted a small puff of smoke from beneath the aircraft as it touched down. The pilot had difficulty in bringing the aircraft back to the centreline. It continued to pull strongly to the left and, as the speed reduced to a fast-walking pace, it ran onto the adjacent grass.

It was decided that the final position of the aircraft would cause difficulties in the continued operation of the airfield and so an attempt was made to taxi the aircraft toward the nearby Taxiway C. During this manoeuvre the right propeller struck the ground, damaging one of the blade tips.

Subsequent examination of the aircraft revealed that the cable operating the emergency landing gear lowering system was in contact with the left brake pedal on the right-hand pilot’s rudder pedals. Whilst forward movement of the right hand rudder pedal in either pilot position would cause both left rudder pedals to move aft in the normal way, the aft movement of the left rudder pedal in the right pilot’s position would cause the cable to tighten and drive the left brake pedal forward relative to the rudder pedal on which it was
mounted. Consequently, operation of the rudder pedal system in attempts to steer the aircraft to the right would result in the inadvertent application of the left brake.

The possibility of the emergency release cable coming into contact with a brake pedal on this aircraft type was identified many years ago. Consequently, a service bulletin was issued by the manufacturer to install a fitting which located the cable more positively, preventing mutual contact. An Airworthiness Directive was subsequently raised to mandate the installation of this fitting.

Examination of the aircraft confirmed that the fitting had been installed; unfortunately, installation had been carried out incorrectly and the fitting was orientated such that the risk of hazardous contact between the cable and the brake pedal was increased, rather than eliminated

=Damage to airframe=
Per the AAIB report the "Right propeller" was damaged.

Warton Aerodrome (IATA: WRT, ICAO: EGNO) is located in Warton village on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. The aerodrome is 6 NM (11 km; 6.9 mi) west of Preston, Lancashire, UK.

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58a3261ded915d7f10000020/Piper_PA-44-180_Seminole_G-BGCO_03-17.pdf
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BGCO.pdf
3. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/GBGCO
4. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-BGCO
5. https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9859264
6. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-BGCO/893785
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warton_Aerodrome

This Piper PA-44-180 Seminole was built in 1978, and first registered in the USA as N2103D. The airframe was first registered in the UK as G-BGCO on 20 December 1978. It was sold to its second UK registered owner on 12 March 1979 (confirmed 12 April 1979). The airframe changed owners on 18 April 2007 due to the death of the then-current owner (the aircraft record card stated \"Registered owners: Addressee status: Deceased\"

The next owner was BAe Systems (Operations) Ltd, who owned the airframe for 14 years - 18 April 2007 to 7 October 2021. During this time, G-BGCO was involved in a nose landing gear collapse during landing, Blackpool Airport, Lancashire, 12 February 2021 (see separate entry).

G-BGCO was sold on to a new owner on 7 October 2021, who kept the aircraft until 18 January 2023. The next owner only kept G-BGCO for only five days (18 to 23 January 2023), with it being operated by the sixth and current owner from 23 January 2023

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

12 February 2021

G-BGCO

BAE Systems

0

Blackpool Airport, Squire's Gate, Blackpool, Lancashire, England

w/o

Piper PA-44-180 Seminole G-BGCO as a visitor to the Shuttleworth Collection's 2013 Autumn Airshow at Old Warden 6-10-2013:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-Apr-2024 09:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
11-Apr-2024 09:11	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Accident report]