20030722018249I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA31350 · Brookhaven, MS · July 22, 2003

Date: July 22, 2003 · 21:30 local
Place: Brookhaven, MS
Airport: Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N27784
Reported as: Piper PA31350
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 18,000 total8,000 in this make and model75 in the last 90 days

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.

(-23) After lengthy hold in an attempt to land at kjan, pilot diverted to Brookhaven (1R7). Pilot cancelled IFR, flew over field and entered VFR pattern ground track. Downwind and base leg were uneventul, other than gusty winds. Pilot stated that he saw a 20 knot loss of groundspeed on final. The aircraft descended, at which time he saw a tree in front of the aircraft. He applied power and pulled up to avoid the tree. The aircraft struck the tree. Pilot initiated a go-around and raised the gear. The gear did not indicate up and locked. Pilot accomplished a second pattern. Lowered gear and confirmed down and locked. Approach and landing were uneventful.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER LENGTHY HOLD IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT KJAN, PILOT DIVERTED TO BROOKHAVEN (1R7). PILOT CANCELLED IFR, FLEW OVER FIELD AND ENTERED VFR PATTERN GROUND TRACK. DOWNWIND AND BASE LEG WERE UNEVENTUL, OTHER THAN GUSTY WINDS. PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW A 20 KNOT LOSS OF GROUNDSPEED ON FINAL. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, AT WHICH TIME HE SAW A TREE IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE APPLIED POWER AND PULLED UP TO AVOID THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREE. PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND RAISED THE GEAR. THE GEAR DID NOT INDICATE UP AND LOCKED. PILOT ACCOMPLISHED A SECOND PATTERN. LOWERED GEAR AND CONFIRMED DOWN AND LOCKED. APPROACH AND LANDING WERE UNEVENTFUL.