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20000326004089A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-200 · Lehighton, PA · March 26, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 26, 2000 · 13:15 local
Place
Lehighton, PA
Airport
Jake Arnen Memorial Airport
Phase of flight
Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N55820
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC00LA098
Reported as
Piper PA28R200
Reported engine
Continental IO360*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,100 total550 in this make and model
N55820Registration cancelled Nov 28, 2000 · Piper PA-28R-200S/N 28R7335294Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-200

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.

(.4)The airplane was landing on runway 26, a 3,000 foot-long, 50 foot-wide, asphalt runway. A witness observed the airplane touchdown on the runway, still crabbed approximately 30 degrees into the wind. The airplane bounced about 10 feet into the air and began to drift to the south side of the runway. The witness heard full power being applied to the engine, and stated the engine seemed to respond normally. The airplane was observed to climb slightly, roll to the left and descend into trees inverted. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area, about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway, and 625 feet to left of the runway centerline. Portions of the wreckage, which included the main cabin were consumed by a post crash fire. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact failures of the airframe or engine. Winds reported at airports about 20 miles, east south-east, and 31 miles, south south-west of the accident site, were from 290 degrees at 16 knots with 21 knots gusts, and from 300 degrees at 22 knots with 30 knot gusts, respectively. (-23) pilot attempted to land aircraft at Lehighton, PA, airport (22N) in a strong crosswind. After bounced landing, pilot attempted a go-around but lost control of aircraft. Aircraft landed inverted and pilot was removed from aircraft just prior to beginning of fire. Aircraft received substantial damage and pilot was seriously injured.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 26, A 3,000 FOOT-LONG, 50 FOOT-WIDE, ASPHALT RUNWAY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHDOWN ON THE RUNWAY, STILL CRABBED APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ABOUT 10 FEET INTO THE AIR AND BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS HEARD FULL POWER BEING APPLIED TO THE ENGINE, AND STATED THE ENGINE SEEMED TO RESPOND NORMALLY. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB SLIGHTLY, ROLL TO THE LEFT AND DESCEND INTO TREES INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A WOODED AREA, ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, AND 625 FEET TO LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. PORTIONS OF THE WRECKAGE, WHICH INCLUDED THE MAIN CABIN WERE CONSUMED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. WINDS REPORTED AT AIRPORTS ABOUT 20 MILES, EAST SOUTH-EAST, AND 31 MILES, SOUTH SOUTH-WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WERE FROM 290 DEGREES AT 16 KNOTS WITH 21 KNOTS GUSTS, AND FROM 300 DEGREES AT 22 KNOTS WITH 30 KNOT GUSTS, RESPECTIVELY. (-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AIRCRAFT AT LEHIGHTON, PA, AIRPORT (22N) IN A STRONG CROSSWIND. AFTER BOUNCED LANDING, PILOT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT LANDED INVERTED AND PILOT WAS REMOVED FROM AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO BEGINNING OF FIRE. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

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 NYC00LA098Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLehighton, PAThe pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind. A factor in this accident was the gusty crosswind condition.Mar 26, 2000 · Destroyed

Other reports on N55820 · 1

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

Incident 19781028027529ILevel Off Touchdown · Chicago, ILPilot forgot to extend gear before touch down.Oct 28, 1978 · Minor damage