Date:	Wednesday 18 January 2012
Time:	11:17 LT
Type:	Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R
Owner/operator:	Awyr Cymru Cyf
Registration:	G-BWHF
MSN:	31-7612076
Year of manufacture:	1976
Engine model:	Lycoming TIO-540-F2BD
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Long Mountain, Near Leighton, E of Welshpool, Powys, Wales -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Welshpool Airport, Powys (EGCW)
Destination airport:	Welshpool Airport, Powys (EGCW)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The commander was carrying out a flight to re-familiarise himself with the aircraft. After departing Welshpool and flying in the local area, he rejoined the circuit, was on the base leg and configured for landing when the aircraft struck cloud covered trees on the upper slope of Long Mountain (Welsh: Cefn Digoll) near Leighton, east of Welshpool, Powys, Wales. The aircraft then impacted a grass field where it caught fire. Both pilots were fatally injured.

AAIB Conclusion: The aircraft struck the tops of the trees located on the upper slope of Long Mountain, while descending for a visual approach to land on Runway 22 at Welshpool Airport. The trees were probably not visible to the pilots because of cloud covering the upper slopes.

The AAIB report notes that the aircraft was "destroyed"; as a result, the registration G-BWHF was cancelled by the CAA on 12/9/2012

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fe1ee5274a1314000921/Piper_PA-31-325_Navajo_C-R_G-BWHF_08-12.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/
3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-16619697
4. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2012/01/18/two-killed-as-plane-crashes-on-mountain/
5. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/two-killed-in-wales-aircraft-crash-6291268.html
NTSB
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Mountain_(Powys)
8. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1148586/
9. http://web.archive.org/web/20160707043116/http://www.baaa-acro.com:80/2012/archives/crash-of-a-piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftain-in-welshpool-wales-2-killed/
10. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000132579.html

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Jan-2012 10:15	harro	Added
18-Jan-2012 10:19	Alpine Flight	Updated [Time, Registration, Other fatalities, Location, Source, ]
18-Jan-2012 11:49	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, Narrative, ]
27-Jan-2012 03:42	mlstokes	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, ]
27-Jan-2012 21:54	Geno	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative, ]
05-Mar-2012 12:06	biggles1	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative, ]
09-Aug-2012 13:15	harro	Updated [Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, ]
18-Aug-2012 15:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
11-Sep-2015 04:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
11-Sep-2015 04:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
19-Dec-2016 17:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ]