# Accident 20001014015479A: Piper PA28R200, Sedona, AZ, October 14, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 14, 2000, 13:15 local time - Place: Sedona, AZ - Airport: Sedona Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.9397° N, 111.9395° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9397&lon=-111.9395&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4826Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4826Q-2015-05-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200 - Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 507 total, 42 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA015) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001014015479A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) A/C N4826Q RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING A NORMAL LANDING ON RWY 03 AT THE SEDONA AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING MANUEVER, THE A/C IMPACTED THE RWY IN A MANNER THAT PUSHED THE LANDING GEAR(MAIN) THROUGH THE WING STRUCTURE, CAUSING THE PROP TO STRIKE THE GROUND, AND CAUSED THE A/C TO DEPART THE RWY, STRIKING SEVERAL FIXED OBJECTS. (.4) ON OCTOBER 14, 2000, AT 1315 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-200, N4826Q, LANDED HARD, VEERED OFF RUNWAY 3, STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN, AND TAXIWAY AND RUNWAY LIGHTS AT THE SEDONA, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY AIR DESERT PACIFIC, AND RENTED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED BRACKETT FIELD AIRPORT, LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA, AT 1040. A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE SEDONA AIRPORT. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 3, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED AN UPDRAFT AND AN IMMEDIATE DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST BACK ON THE RUNWAY AFTER IT STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN AND TAXIWAY LIGHTS. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WENT THROUGH THE WING. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, HE STATED THAT HE HAD LANDED AT THIS AIRPORT 5 TIMES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS AWARE OF POSSIBLE WIND SHIFTS DUE TO THE TERRAIN AND AIRPORT GEOGRAPHY. THE AIRPORT SITS ON TOP OF A MESA AND THE RUNWAY HAS AN UPSLOPE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. HE STATED THAT HE PLANNED HIS APPROACH TO BE SLIGHTLY HIGH AND FAST TO COMPENSATE FOR AN UNEXPECTED WIND CHANGE. HE STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL, ABOUT 100 FEET AGL WITH TWO NOTCHES OF FLAPS DOWN SELECTED, THE APPROACH APPEARED NORMAL. HE NOTED HIS AIRSPEED AT THE TIME WAS 85 MPH. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE HE SAW THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING AT A MUCH GREATER RATE THAN JUST A MOMENT BEFORE. HE ADDED FULL POWER AND RECHECKED HIS AIRSPEED, WHICH WAS NOW AT 60 MPH. HOWEVER, APPLICATION OF FULL POWER DID NOT ARREST THE DESCENT AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED THROUGH BRUSH AND BACK ON THE RUNWAY. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS PUSHED THROUGH THE WINGS AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE NOSE. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT ONLY TOOK A COUPLE OF SECONDS FOR THE APPROACH TO CHANGE FROM A CONTROLLED STABILIZED APPROACH TO ". . . LITERALLY FALLING OUT OF THE SKY . . . ." AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE WAS STANDING ON THE RUNWAY AND NOTED THAT THE WIND WAS GUSTING AND VARIABLE, GENERALLY FROM A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, BUT THAT THE WIND WAS NOT STEADY IN STRENGTH OR DIRECTION. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS CAUGHT IN AN UPDRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER, AFTER THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD IT STRUCK THE GUIDANCE SIGN FOR TAXIWAY A8 AND ONE TAXIWAY AND ONE RUNWAY LIGHT. ## 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 LAX01LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA015), Oct 14, 2000: Piper PA-28R-200 (N4826Q), Sedona, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions while on short final landing approach. A factor was the unfavorable wind condition. 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.