Date:	Tuesday 5 December 2017
Time:	11:30
Type:	Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II
Owner/operator:	Graco Group Ltd
Registration:	G-RACO
MSN:	28R-7535300
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Barton Aerodrome, Salford, Lancashire (EGCB) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Manchester/Barton Airport (EGCB)
Destination airport:	Manchester/Barton Airport (EGCB)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow, G-RACO: Severely damaged due to a high flare followed by abrupt pitch nose-down resulting in heavy landing, Manchester/Barton Airport, 5 December 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from AAIB Report:

"The pilot was receiving instruction as part of a type conversion to the PA-28R, having previously flown Focke-Wulf P.149 and Yak-55 aircraft.

During the first circuit the pilot configured the aircraft for landing and maintained a small amount of throttle once over the threshold. The pilot reported that when he flared the aircraft, he realised he was too high and lowered the nose, as directed by the instructor. The aircraft pitched nose-down abruptly and struck the grass runway. The nose landing gear collapsed and the wing structure deformed around the main landing gear mounts.

The pilot assessed that he had stalled during the flare, causing the aircraft to pitch down abruptly. Conversely, the instructor considered that the pilot’s forward input was too pronounced, causing the abrupt pitch down. The instructor stated that it was not possible to have reacted in time to avert the accident.

Both the pilot and the instructor considered that a contributory factor to the high flare was that most of the pilot’s experience was on aircraft types with much higher seating positions than the PA-28R".

=Damage Sustained to Airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Collapsed nose landing gear, damaged propeller and wings deformed around main landing gear mounts". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, passing on to its next (2nd) owner on 26 April 2018

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5aa7e02940f0b66b5fb4b860/Piper_PA-28R-200_Cherokee_Arrow_G-RACO_04-18.pdf
2. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-RACO/
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-RACO.html
4. FAA: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=1498X
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Airport_%26_Manchester_Heliport

This Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II was built in 1975, and was previously registered in the United States as N1498X to an owner in Oklahoma, USA. The US registration was cancelled by the FAA on 11 September 1991 as \"Exported to United Kingdom\".

The aircraft was first UK registered as G-RACO on 12 September 1991 to the Graco Group Ltd, the aircraft\\\'s first (and long-term owner of 27 years). After the incident at Manchester/Barton on 5 December 2017, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service, passing on to its next (2nd) owner on 26 April 2018. The 3rd owner took over G-RACO from 8 October 2019. The aircraft has accumulated a total of 2,186 flying hours at 8 June 2023

Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II G-RACO at Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury (EGCV) 20 August 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jul-2024 14:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
02-Jul-2024 14:43	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]