Date:	Sunday 21 April 2024
Time:	12:20 BST
Type:	Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-BCPG
MSN:	28R-35705
Year of manufacture:	1970
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Teesside International Airport (MME/EGNV), Darlington, County Durham -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Teesside International Airport (MME/EGNV)
Destination airport:	Teesside International Airport (MME/EGNV)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Piper PA-28R-200, G-BCPG: Written off (damaged beyond economic repair) when left main landing gear leg collapsed during taxi, Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, 21 April 2024. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB Final Report published on 14 November 2024

"Synopsis
During taxi, the left main landing gear collapsed aft. Inspection of the landing gear installation revealed that the landing gear retainer tube assembly had unscrewed which released one of the gear’s two mounting points. The forces encountered by the landing gear leg during the taxi, tore the leg out of the remaining forward mounting point, causing significant damage to the left wheel well, landing gear and wing.

The manufacturer will be updating the aircraft maintenance manual to include a torque setting for the retainer tube bolt in the next revision of the manual.

History of the flight
The pilot had completed a 50 hour check and planned to go for a short local flight. He taxied to hold C of Runway 05 to carry out engine checks, but as he turned left into the wind, he heard a loud thud and the left wing dropped. He shut down the engine, turned off the master switch and, uninjured, vacated the aircraft. External visual inspection confirmed that the left main landing gear had collapsed. Contrary to the pilot’s expectation, however, the leg had not folded inwards as it would during a retraction, but instead it was pointing aft "

Damage Sustained to airframe:
Per the AAIB Report "Damage to gear leg, retraction mechanism, mounting brackets, wing spar and upper wing
structure". The aircraft is probably a write-off (damaged beyond econmic repair) as the CAA Certificate of Airworthiness expired on 7 August 2024 and has not been renewed. In addition, the airframe was the subject of a NO FLIGHT declaration effective 5 November 2024. Both of these indicate that G-BCPG will probably never fly again.

Built 1969. Previously registered in the United States as N4985S. Re-regsitered in the UK as G-BCPG on 16 October 1974. Between October 1974 and May 2016, has passed through the hands of nine succesive owners. Total amount of flying hours accumulated on the airframe: 3,755 as at 8 August 2023.

1. AAIB report 14 November 2024: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67346d270b168c11ea822fd7/Piper_PA-28R-200_G-BCPG_11-24.pdf
2. G-BCPG History 1974-1983: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BCPG.pdf
3. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-BCPG.html
4. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/N4985S.html
5. https://dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/Residents.htm
6. https://dtvmovements.co.uk/images/Residents_Current/Private_Owners/GBCPG_DR.jpg
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teesside_International_Airport

G-BCPG: Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II at Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury, Schopshire (EGCV) 14 July 2019

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Nov-2024 12:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Nov-2024 12:43	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]