# Accident 19980827040009A: Piper PA32300, Miami, FL, August 27, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 1998, 23:15 local time
- Place: Miami, FL
- Airport: Opa Locka Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 25.9109° N, 80.2704° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9109&lon=-80.2704&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44295, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44295) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1A5
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 337 total, 45 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA257) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980827040009A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON AUGUST 27, 1998, ABOUT 2315 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N44295, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED WHILE LANDING AT OPA LOCKA AIRPORT, MIAMI, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ABOUT 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  ACCORDING TO INITIAL REPORTS, THE LANDING WAS BEING PERFORMED AT A NORMAL SPEED AND CONFIGURATION; HOWEVER, ON LANDING FLARE, THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN JUST AS THE PILOT WAS REDUCING POWER AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO PORPOISE.  THE PORPOISING CONTINUED UNTIL THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY.  THE OCCURRENCE WAS UPGRADED FROM INCIDENT STATUS WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON OCTOBER 2, 1998, WHEN MIAMI FSDO NOTIFIED NTSB THAT CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED WING SPAR DAMAGE. (.4) ON AUGUST 27, 1998, ABOUT 2315 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N44295, REGISTERED TO CARIBBEAN AVIATION, LC, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL         FLIGHT, CRASHED WHILE LANDING AT OPA LOCKA AIRPORT, MIAMI, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ABOUT 50 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, HIS LANDING FLARE RESULTED IN A HARD TOUCHDOWN AND RESULTANT BOUNCE. AT SOME POINT IN THAT FIRST BOUNCE, HE ADDED AND THEN REDUCED POWER FOR A SECOND FLARE, BUT HIS COMPENSATION FOR A WIND GUST WAS INADEQUATE, AND THE NOSE ATTITUDE BECAME TOO HIGH. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, SUSTAINED A SECOND HARD TOUCHDOWN AND STARTED PORPOISING. THE PORPOISING CONTINUED UNTIL THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE OCCURRENCE WAS UPGRADED FROM INCIDENT STATUS WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON OCTOBER 2, 1998, WHEN MIAMI FSDO NOTIFIED NTSB THAT CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED WING SPAR DAMAGE. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #MIA98LA257

## 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 MIA98LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA257), Aug 28, 1998: Piper PA-32-300 (N44295), Opa Locka, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper remedial action in recovering from a bounced landing resulting in a stall, and his incorrect recovery from a pilot induced oscillation (PIO) condition. A factor was the pilot's…

## Other reports on N44295 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19780925043669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780925043669A), Sep 25, 1978: Piper PA32300 (N44295), Lansing, IL, Substantial damage. Ditch at dep end of rwy.

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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