20040507009369A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Many, LA · May 7, 2004

Date: May 7, 2004
Place: Many, LA
Airport: Hart Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N21131
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04LA135
Reported as: Piper PA28181
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total250 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N21131Registered now · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-7990035 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

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) At 1800 the pilot of N21131 made a hard, down wind landing. This resulted in the aircraft touching down approximately 620 feet from the end of runway 30. The hard landing resulted in the collapse and shearing off of the nose landing gear strut causing the aircraft to slide on its nose for 520 feet. Failure of the nose landing gear strut caused the propeller to contact the runway 12 feet from the initial nose wheel contact area and also causing the engine support and firewall to buckle.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT 1800 THE PILOT OF N21131 MADE A HARD, DOWN WIND LANDING. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHING DOWN APPROXIMATELY 620 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 30. THE HARD LANDING RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE AND SHEARING OFF OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SLIDE ON ITS NOSE FOR 520 FEET. FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT CAUSED THE PROPELLER TO CONTACT THE RUNWAY 12 FEET FROM THE INITIAL NOSE WHEEL CONTACT AREA AND ALSO CAUSING THE ENGINE SUPPORT AND FIREWALL TO BUCKLE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW04LA135Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMany, LAThe pilot's improper touchdown which resulted in a hard landing.May 7, 2004 · Substantial damage