20000109003669A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Sweeney, TX · January 9, 2000

Date: January 9, 2000 · 18:45 local
Place: Sweeney, TX
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8954N
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW00LA059
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 980 total48 in this make and model82 in the last 90 days

N8954NRegistered now · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-40757 · Built 1969 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.23) On 01/09/00 at 1830 CST, N8954N, Piper PA-32-300 was substantially damaged when it impacted the terrain during a forced landing due to loss of power. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injuried. The aircraft substained substantial damage. The airplane was in level cruise flight during dark night conditions when the 'engine stopped.' The instructor elected to make a forced landing to a field. On final approach, the instructor noticed what appeared to be power lines. The instructor banked the airplane to parallel the power lines and rotated the airplane to a nose high pitch attitude for touchdown. The touchdown was made on both main wheels; however, 'the nose of the aircraft came down hard,' and the airplane skidded to a stop. An FAA inspector supervised a 35-minute test run of the engine and found no anomalies.

As the FAA filed it

(.23) ON 01/09/00 AT 1830 CST, N8954N, PIPER PA-32-300 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE NOT INJURIED. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT DURING DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS WHEN THE 'ENGINE STOPPED.' THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE POWER LINES. THE INSTRUCTOR BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO PARALLEL THE POWER LINES AND ROTATED THE AIRPLANE TO A NOSE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE FOR TOUCHDOWN. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON BOTH MAIN WHEELS; HOWEVER, 'THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN HARD,' AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP. AN FAA INSPECTOR SUPERVISED A 35-MINUTE TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE AND FOUND NO ANOMALIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW00LA059Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSweeney, TXThe pilot's excessive flare resulting in a hard landing. Factors were the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, the power lines on final approach and the dark night conditions.Jan 10, 2000 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8954N · 1

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

Incident 19861029066819IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Danbury, TXAircraft slid off the end of a wet grass runway.Oct 29, 1986 · Minor damage