What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 3, 2001, at 1925 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-32-300 wheel equipped airplane, N107TA, sustained substantial damage after striking the runway while on approach to the Kipnuk Airport at Kipnuk Alaska. The commercial pilot, the only occupant, received no injuries. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country 14CFR135 cargo only flight when the incident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident, and only a company flight plan was filed. Damage to the aircraft was contained to nose gear, propeller, and the engine. The pilot, Mr. Murphy, in a statement reported that the wind conditions were within 10 degrees of the runway heading at 13 knots. Mr. Murphy entered the traffic pattern with a left overhead at 100MPH on the downwind, made a base leg at 500MSL about 1/2 to 3/4'S of mile from the threshold of runway 33, he approached with flaps selected at full and slowed to 85MPH. He then stated that when he was getting close to the runway the landing light didn't glow on the runway properly to help his visual reference to start to flair. Struck the runway, damaging the nose gear and propeller veering the aircraft to the left off the runway slid onto a frozen lake spinning the aircraft to the right coming to a rest pointing the nose back to the runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 3, 2001, AT 1925 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300 WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, N107TA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER STRIKING THE RUNWAY WHILE ON APPROACH TO THE KIPNUK AIRPORT AT KIPNUK ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT, RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS-COUNTRY 14CFR135 CARGO ONLY FLIGHT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, AND ONLY A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTAINED TO NOSE GEAR, PROPELLER, AND THE ENGINE. THE PILOT, MR. MURPHY, IN A STATEMENT REPORTED THAT THE WIND CONDITIONS WERE WITHIN 10 DEGREES OF THE RUNWAY HEADING AT 13 KNOTS. MR. MURPHY ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WITH A LEFT OVERHEAD AT 100MPH ON THE DOWNWIND, MADE A BASE LEG AT 500MSL ABOUT 1/2 TO 3/4'S OF MILE FROM THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 33, HE APPROACHED WITH FLAPS SELECTED AT FULL AND SLOWED TO 85MPH. HE THEN STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY THE LANDING LIGHT DIDN'T GLOW ON THE RUNWAY PROPERLY TO HELP HIS VISUAL REFERENCE TO START TO FLAIR. STRUCK THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE NOSE GEAR AND PROPELLER VEERING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY SLID ONTO A FROZEN LAKE SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT COMING TO A REST POINTING THE NOSE BACK TO THE RUNWAY.
Other reports on N107TA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.