# Accident 19991025030459A: Piper PA34200, Hopedale, MA, October 25, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 25, 1999, 10:20 local time
- Place: Hopedale, MA
- Airport: Hopedale Industrial Park Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1065° N, 71.5101° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HOPEDALE INDUSTRIAL PARK (1B6), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1065&lon=-71.5101&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16397, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N16397-2012-08-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200 (registry code 7103405, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1E6
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA018) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991025030459A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON OCTOBER 25, ABOUT 1020 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-34-200, N16397, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE LANDING AT THE HOPEDALE INDUSTRIAL PARK AIRPORT (1B6), HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS. THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, STUDENT PILOT, AND PASSENGER, WERE NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT WAS FLYING THE APPROACH TO 1B6.  THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE SETTLED FROM ABOUT 5-6 FEET IN THE AIR ONTO THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE GEAR, THEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.  THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED THAT THE LANDING WAS NOT SOFT, BUT HE WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT A HARD LANDING.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED HARDER LANDINGS IN THE PAST.  HE BELIEVED THAT THE NOSE GEAR MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED HARDER LANDINGS IN THE PAST, AND FAILED DURING THE LANDING. THE WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR.  THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED DAMAGE TO BOTH PROPELLERS AND SECTIONS OF THE FUSELAGE.  HE ADDED THAT AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR PLANNED TO  FURTHER EXAMINE THE NOSE GEAR.(-23) CFI STATES THAT THEY ENTERED THE PATTERN AND LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR.  THEY HAD "3 GREEN AND 1 IN THE MIRROR".  MADE NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING.  UPON LANDING THEY FELT THE MAINS        TOUCH AND HELD THE NOSE WHEEL OFF THE GROUND, FELT THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCH AND THEN COLLAPSE.  IN LATER CONVERSATION WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT THE  STUDENT WAS FLYING AND THAT THE AIRPLANE DROPPED FROM 5-6 FEET, AND THAT THE LANDING WAS NOT THE ROUGHEST HE HAS FELT.  THE MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH PILOTS STATEMENT.  THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR HAS    BEEN SENT TO NTSB FOR ANALYSIS AT NTSB REQUEST.

## 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 NYC00LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA018), Oct 25, 1999: Piper PA-34-200 (N16397), Hopedale, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The nose landing gear was not locked in the extended position.

## Other reports on N16397 (1)

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

- [Accident 19740929032619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19740929032619A), Sep 29, 1974: Piper PA34200 (N16397), Early, OK, Substantial damage. Hit soft spot in hard top portion of hard top/sod pvt strip.

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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