20031209034709I

Incident · Substantial damage

FAA incident report · Amtr 10200 · Salisbury, NC · December 9, 2003

Date: December 9, 2003 · 16:30 local
Place: Salisbury, NC
Airport: Rowan County Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N224RM
Reported as: Amtr 10200
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 650 total25 in this make and model10 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) On December 09, 2003, at approximately 2130Z an ultimate aircraft hit the VASI approach tower at the east end of the runway. The aircraft was heading from west to east when these approach lights were hit. The pilot stated, he thought he had landed at mid-field and was surprised to see the runway numbers disappear under the airplane. He did not have enough surface to stop aircraft before it hit the end of runway light.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON DECEMBER 09, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 2130Z AN ULTIMATE AIRCRAFT HIT THE VASI APPROACH TOWER AT THE EAST END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING FROM WEST TO EAST WHEN THESE APPROACH LIGHTS WERE HIT. THE PILOT STATED, HE THOUGHT HE HAD LANDED AT MID-FIELD AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE RUNWAY NUMBERS DISAPPEAR UNDER THE AIRPLANE. HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH SURFACE TO STOP AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT HIT THE END OF RUNWAY LIGHT.