What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 1, 2008, at approximately 16:50 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32R-300, N276, owned by rbf management company, received substantial damage on impact with runway during an approach to land on runway 35 at Summit Airport (kevy), Delaware. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR part 91. The pilot reported that he departed somerset, new jersey (ksmq), at approximately 15:50 eastern standard time, for a 1 hour VFR flight with two passengers to Summit, Delaware (kevy). The pilot stated that there was a direct crosswind and he encountered wind shear at approximately 50 feet AGL. The pilot was operating the aircraft from the right seat. The aircraft landed hard and resulted in the main landing gear on both sides being driven up through the wings and the nose gear collapsing. The fuselage and propeller impacted the ground and right wing received major damage as evidence by bending of the aft spar. The observed weather at the closet weather reporting station (ilg) was: 1. Wind direction 220 degrees at 13 mph gusting to 23 mph at 1551 EST. 2. Wind direction 280 degrees at 18 mph gusting to 34 mph at 1649 EST. 3. Wind direction 280 degrees at 17 mph gusting to 34 mph at 1651. Wind direction 280 degrees at 15 mph gusting to 25 mph at 1658 EST. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single, multiengine land and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot reported a total flight time of 2550 hours and over 150 in this make and model. The accident pilot did not report this to the national transportation safety board or the federal aviation administration. This information was first received on March 6, 2009 by the baltimore flight standards district office through a conversation with the accident pilot for renewal of an inspection authorization. The philadelphia flight standards district office was assigned the investigation on March 11, 2009 due to the geographic location of the accident. After confirmation that the damage was considered substantial; all information was reported to the national transportation safety board on March 25, 2009.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 1, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 16:50 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32R-300, N276, OWNED BY RBF MANAGEMENT COMPANY, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH RUNWAY DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35 AT SUMMIT AIRPORT (KEVY), DELAWARE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY (KSMQ), AT APPROXIMATELY 15:50 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, FOR A 1 HOUR VFR FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS TO SUMMIT, DELAWARE (KEVY). THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DIRECT CROSSWIND AND HE ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND RESULTED IN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ON BOTH SIDES BEING DRIVEN UP THROUGH THE WINGS AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSING. THE FUSELAGE AND PROPELLER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND RIGHT WING RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE AS EVIDENCE BY BENDING OF THE AFT SPAR. THE OBSERVED WEATHER AT THE CLOSET WEATHER REPORTING STATION (ILG) WAS: 1. WIND DIRECTION 220 DEGREES AT 13 MPH GUSTING TO 23 MPH AT 1551 EST. 2. WIND DIRECTION 280 DEGREES AT 18 MPH GUSTING TO 34 MPH AT 1649 EST. 3. WIND DIRECTION 280 DEGREES AT 17 MPH GUSTING TO 34 MPH AT 1651. WIND DIRECTION 280 DEGREES AT 15 MPH GUSTING TO 25 MPH AT 1658 EST. THE PILOT HELD A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH SINGLE, MULTIENGINE LAND AND INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE RATINGS. THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 2550 HOURS AND OVER 150 IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THE ACCIDENT PILOT DID NOT REPORT THIS TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OR THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION. THIS INFORMATION WAS FIRST RECEIVED ON MARCH 6, 2009 BY THE BALTIMORE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE THROUGH A CONVERSATION WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT FOR RENEWAL OF AN INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION. THE PHILADELPHIA FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE WAS ASSIGNED THE INVESTIGATION ON MARCH 11, 2009 DUE TO THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER CONFIRMATION THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL; ALL INFORMATION WAS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ON MARCH 25, 2009.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.