# Accident 20011024029219A: Piper PA32300, Lake Wales, FL, October 24, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 24, 2001, 14:15 local time
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.9503° N, 81.5997° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9503&lon=-81.5997&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4033W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4033W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 175 total, 60 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL02LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA005) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011024029219A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AFTER LANDING ON A GRASS STRIP WITH STANDING WATER ON THE RUNWAY, PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND EXITED ON LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY AND WENT THRU A WIRE FENCE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. (.4) ON OCTOBER 24, 2001, AT 1515 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N4033W, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING LANDING AT THE LAKE WALES, CHALET SUZANNE AIRPORT IN LAKE WALES, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM VANDENBERG, FLORIDA, AT 1330. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE MADE A NORMAL LEFT HAND PATTERN APPROACH TO THE PRIVATE RUNWAY. JUST PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL A HEAVY DOWN POUR HAD SOAKED THE FIELD. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT OVER FLYING THE GRASS STRIP PRIOR TO LANDING TO DETERMINE THE LANDING SURFACE CONDITION. AS HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE STARTED VEERING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE APPLIED RUDDER TO CORRECT THEN THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO T                        HE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STARTED HYDROPLANING OUT OF CONTROL. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH NO RESPONSE. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY THROUGH A SMALL DITCH AND A WIRE FENCE AND CAME TO A STOP OFF THE FIELD IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE ALSO FAILED TO REVEAL A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE.

## 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 ATL02LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA005), Oct 24, 2001: Piper PA-32-300 (N4033W), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to land on a wet sod runway which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing. Factors were the wet grass strip which allowed the airplane to hydroplane.

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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