# Accident 19980916024949A: Piper PA24, Centre, AL, September 16, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 16, 1998, 16:30 local time - Place: Centre, AL - Airport: Centre Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.1505° N, 85.6702° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1505&lon=-85.6702&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7003P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7003P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24 (registry code 7102402, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA24 - Reported engine: LYC O360A1A - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 106 total, 37 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA247) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980916024949A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT WAS UNALBE TO FIND THE WIND SOCK BEFORE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 27 AT CENTRE, ALABAMA. ON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT MID FIELD. THE PILOT STARTED A GO AROUND AND THEN ABORTED THE GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND PROCEEDED ACROSS A DITCH AND STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 1200 FEET PAST THE END OF RUNWAY 27. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND AND BROKE OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WING AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CONTACTED THE GROUND. BOTH WINGS HAD RINKLES IN THE SKIN.(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1998, ABOUT 1730 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-24, N7003P, REGISTERED TO DELTA ROMEO CORPORATION, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE LANDING AT THE CENTRE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, CENTRE, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT NOT ACTIVATED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1730 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME FROM THE FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT-BROWN FIELD, ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT BUT DID NOT LOCATE THE WINDSOCK. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27 AND DURING FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE WAS SLIGHTLY FAST AND HIGH. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH AND THE AIRPLANE FLOATED IN GROUND EFFECT DOWN THE RUNWAY WITH A SLIGHT TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED LONG AND ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN TRAVELED INTO A DITCH CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE. HE CHECKED THE WIND SOCK POST CRASH AND IT WAS OPERATIONAL. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN BUT DID NOT SEE THE WIND SOCK. HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27, AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH AND FAST. AT THE POINT HE DECIDED TO GO-AROUND, HE THOUGHT THE AIRPLANE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CLEAR TREES AHEAD. HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED LONG, DOWNWIND. UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE, IT ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. A WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN ABOUT 25 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT FROM AN AIRPORT LOCATED 25 NAUTICAL MILES AND 240 DEGREES FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT REVEALED IN PART THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 150 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT POST ACCIDENT HE OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK AND IT WAS OPERATIONAL. ## 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 MIA98LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA247), Sep 16, 1998: Piper PA-24 (N7003P), Centre, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point and his delay in initiating a go-around during a high and fast approach. A factor was the ditch. ## Other reports on N7003P (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19800727062869I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800727062869I), Jul 27, 1980: Piper PA24 (N7003P), Warner Robins, GA, Minor damage. Pilot failed to extend gear before landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.