# Accident 20071206828889A: Piper PA28180, Fallbrook, CA, December 6, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 6, 2007, 16:10 local time
- Place: Fallbrook, CA
- Airport: Fallbrook Community Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3525° N, 117.2506° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3525&lon=-117.2506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44528, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44528) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,435 total, 110 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX08CA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA035) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071206828889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PRACTICING SHORT FIELD TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT FALLBROOK AIRPORT (L18), AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME. HE WAS ESTABLISHED IN A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN SET UP FOR RUNWAY 18. THERE WAS A FRONTAL SYSTEM THAT WAS DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA WITH OVERCAST CEILINGS AORUND 3500 FEET AGL AND LIGHT WINDS FROM THE SOUTH OVER FALLBROOK. THERE WAS NO PRECIPITATION AND VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 6 MILES. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTS HE WAS IN A STABILIZED APPROACH CONFIGURATION AT THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED MINIMUM APPROACH SPEED WTIH FULL FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SINK DUE TO A DOWNDRAFT THAT DEVELOPED AND HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE TO ARREST THE SINK RATE. HE MISJUDGED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND EXCESSIVE SINK RATE AND LANDED HARD AND SHORT, CONTACTING THE GROUND JUST BEFORE THE ROUND OUT AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. EYEWITNESSES REPORT THE GEAR SEPARATED WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE GEAR ASSEMBLY LATER DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND FELL INTO AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 2 1/2 MILES FROM FALLBROOK. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO NEARBY CARLSBAD AIRPORT (CRQ) WHERE BETTER GROUND SUPPORT FACILITIES WERE AVAILABLE AND LANDED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. REPORT ATTACHED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX08CA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA035), Dec 7, 2007: Piper PA-28-180 (N44528), Fallbrook, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged distance and altitude that led to an undershoot and a failure to obtain the proper touchdown point.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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