Description

On 26 September 2009, a privately operated Piper PA28-140 with only the pilot on board was about to touch down on Runway 26 at Humberside Airport, after a day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) approach when the aircraft rolled uncontrollably to the right in the flare and struck the ground. The aircraft came to rest inverted beside the runway and suffered significant damage but there was no fire. The pilot sustained serious injuries.

Investigation

The pilot advised that the final approach had been normal but that after crossing the runway threshold, in the flare, the aircraft had rolled uncontrollably to the right. The right wing had contacted with the runway surface and failed so that the aircraft had become inverted. The cockpit door was jammed by the remains of the right wing, but, after use of considerable force, the pilot had been able to open the door and escape from the aircraft unaided. After a considerable delay due their not being promptly advised of the accident location, the AFRS arrived at the scene.

It was estimated that the accident aircraft had been about 1nm behind a Sikorsky S76 helicopter which had crossed the same landing threshold ahead of it and that the prevailing surface wind had been equivalent to an 8 kts head wind component and a 1.5 knot crosswind component.