ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 188036
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 April 1996 |
| Time: | 14:34 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk |
| Owner/operator: | USAF Flying Club (Lakenheath) |
| Registration: | N91437 |
| MSN: | 38-82A0031 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1982 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL) |
| RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3-4-1996 when damaged the undercarriage by 'snagging' it on the arrestor wires on the runway during a 'touch and go' landing and takeoff at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The aircraft was being operated by the Aero Club at RAF Lakenheath,which is run by USAF personnel stationed at the base. On this occasion, a student pilot was undertaking an 'upgrade' flight with an instructor in the right seat. The runway at Lakenheath, in common with most military airfields, is equipped at each end with an arresting wire which traverses the runway and is held just clear of the surface by collars spaced along its length.
The relatively small diameter wheels fitted to most light aircraft are unsuitable for 'tramping' these wires and such aircraft are customarily operated from the runway between the wires, in this case a distance of some 4,500 feet being available.
The aircraft was flying an approach to this usable section of Runway 06, with the intention of making a 'touch-and-go', but reportedly landed firmly in the region of the arresting wire. A short time later, the aircraft became airborne again to fly another circuit. Although it was probable that the right main gear had been damaged at this time, neither the crew or persons on the ground were aware of this until the next landing, when a severe vibration was experienced after an apparently normal touchdown.
At this point the instructor assumed control, and took the aircraft back into the air. As he climbed away, he saw what he thought was a tyre falling from the aircraft, but which later was identified as the complete right main landing gear
The aircraft was flown around locally for a time to consume most of the fuel on board, before it was brought back for a landing. After discussions with the ATC Tower and Aero Club officials, the instructor elected to land on Runway 13, and was able to keep the aircraft straight and the right wing from touching the runway until late in the landing roll.
This resulted in minimal damage to the airframe and both occupants were able to leave the aircraft unaided.
Subsequent examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the right main tyre consistent with striking the arrestor wire, and deformation of the right main gear attachment bracket in the wing. The three bolts securing the gear to the wing had failed, an engineering assessment by the Aero Club indicated that two bolts had probably failed as a result of landing firmly onto the wire, and the third had failed on the following landing".
Damage sustained to the airframe: Per the AAIB report " Damage to right main landing gear, its attachment point, right wing tip, aileron and flap". The damage was presumably enough to render the airframe as "damaged beyond repair", as the registration N91437 was cancelled by the FAA three years later, on 20-5-1999
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f000ed915d13710002af/dft_avsafety_pdf_500320.pdf
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=91437
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 22 October 2005 | G-BYLE | Surrey & Kent Flying Club Ltd | 2 | Victoria Gardens, Westerham, Kent TN16 3DH | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jun-2016 21:36 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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