# Accident 19980315003429A: Piper PA34200, Van Nuys, CA, March 15, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 1998, 18:45 local time
- Place: Van Nuys, CA
- Airport: Van Nuys Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1898° N, 118.4902° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1898&lon=-118.4902&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4442T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4442T-2006-01-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200 (registry code 7103405, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1E6
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 820 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA117) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980315003429A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LANDED HARD ON THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE, WHICH HE ATTRIBUTED TO A BLOWN TIRE. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED UP, THE PILOT REDUCED THE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY SLID OFF THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PORPOISE PROGRESSIVELY DETERIORATED UNTIL THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTIUNITY WAS ESTABLISHED ON SCENE AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE LANDING GEAR TIRES. (-23) ON SUNDAY, 03/15/98 AT 1840 HOURS, MR. SOLAYMAN M. SIRAJ, ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF N4442T, PIPER PA-34-200, MADE A HARD LANDING AT VAN NUYS AIRPORT, VAN NUYS, CA, CAUSING THE LANDING GEAR TO FAIL AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA117), Mar 16, 1998: Piper PA34-200 (N4442T), Van Nuys, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged landing flare which led to an uncontrolled porpoise and eventual collapse of the landing gear.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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