What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 19, 2000, at 1600 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28-235, N9174W, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 8 (3,501 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the Mackinac Island Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane, reported no injuries. The cross-country flight originated at jackson, Michigan, and was en route to Mackinac Island, Michigan. In a statement to a federal aviation administration inspector, the pilot said that a wind gust caught him during landing and he drifted to the left. (-23)AWOS was reporting 3-4 knots of wind, on short final a wind gust lifted the left wing to abut a 45 degree angle. He righted the aircraft and made a hard landing. He bounced several times and was directing the aircraft towards the left side of the runway. When the nosewheel hit the turf it collapsed. He did not go around as he was concerned about the trees at the end of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 19, 2000, AT 1600 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-28-235, N9174W, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 8 (3,501 FEET BY 75 FEET, DRY ASPHALT) AT THE MACKINAC ISLAND AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE, REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT JACKSON, MICHIGAN, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN. IN A STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, THE PILOT SAID THAT A WIND GUST CAUGHT HIM DURING LANDING AND HE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. (-23)AWOS WAS REPORTING 3-4 KNOTS OF WIND, ON SHORT FINAL A WIND GUST LIFTED THE LEFT WING TO ABUT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. HE RIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE A HARD LANDING. HE BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS DIRECTING THE AIRCRAFT TOWARDS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL HIT THE TURF IT COLLAPSED. HE DID NOT GO AROUND AS HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.