20070921021269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Seward, AK · September 21, 2007

Date: September 21, 2007 · 11:00 local
Place: Seward, AK
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3948W
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC07CA105
Reported as: Piper PA32260
Reported engine: Lycoming O540E4B5
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 10,000 total1,900 in this make and model130 in the last 90 days

N3948WRegistration cancelled Apr 26, 2012 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-934 · Built 1967 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) During an attempt to land on the established airstrip, the aircraft touched down and hit a washout which was about one foot wide and two feet deep. In speaking with the airman, he mentioned that he had landed there "many many" times before and was aware of the washout. Because he was aware of the washout, he came in with minimum airspeed on final, touched down but was unable to avoid the washout. He said "no one had gotten around to fixing it yet." Upon impact with the terrain feature, the gear was separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then slid for another 600 feet and came to rest in a stand of spruce trees. Known damage at this time includes damage to gear, undercarriage, propeller, and wings.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING AN ATTEMPT TO LAND ON THE ESTABLISHED AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND HIT A WASHOUT WHICH WAS ABOUT ONE FOOT WIDE AND TWO FEET DEEP. IN SPEAKING WITH THE AIRMAN, HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD LANDED THERE "MANY MANY" TIMES BEFORE AND WAS AWARE OF THE WASHOUT. BECAUSE HE WAS AWARE OF THE WASHOUT, HE CAME IN WITH MINIMUM AIRSPEED ON FINAL, TOUCHED DOWN BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE WASHOUT. HE SAID "NO ONE HAD GOTTEN AROUND TO FIXING IT YET." UPON IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN FEATURE, THE GEAR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID FOR ANOTHER 600 FEET AND CAME TO REST IN A STAND OF SPRUCE TREES. KNOWN DAMAGE AT THIS TIME INCLUDES DAMAGE TO GEAR, UNDERCARRIAGE, PROPELLER, AND WINGS.

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 ANC07CA105Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportChenega Bay, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a collision with a ditch during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was the ditch.Sep 21, 2007 · Substantial damage