# Accident 20100923049829A: Piper PA-34-200, Northampton, MA, September 23, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 2010, 14:30 local time
- Place: Northampton, MA
- Airport: La Fleur
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3178° N, 72.6117° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3178&lon=-72.6117&mi=10
- Aircraft: N56196, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N56196-2013-04-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200 (registry code 7103405, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 503 total, 76 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10CA513](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA513) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100923049829A

## Narrative

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

THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010, WAS NOT REPORTED TO THIS FSDO UNTIL OCTOBER 6, 2010 AT WHICH TIME IT WAS INITIALLY CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT. IT WASN'T UNTIL A HARD LANDING INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED THAT THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS WAS FOUND. DO TO THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DISCOVERED IT WAS RECLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT ON OCTOBER 26, 2010.THE FOLLOWING IS A NARRATIVE OF THE INCIDENT/ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010:AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 EDT AIRCRAFT N56196, PIPER PA 34-200, ENCOUNTERED A HARD LANDING AT NORTHAMPTON AIRPORT (7B2) WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 32. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND ORIGINATED FROM DILLANT-HOPKINS AIRPORT (EEN) KEENE NH. WEATHER WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, TEMPERATURE 26 DEGREES CELSIUS WITH WINDS CALM. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER HAD STRUCK THE PAVEMENT BENDING BOTH TIPS REARWARD APPROXIMATELY THREE INCHES FROM THE TIP AND THE NOSE WHEEL TUBE HAD RUPTURED ON IMPACT. ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED TO BOTH WINGS DURING THE HARD LANDING INSPECTION. THE LEFT LOWER WING SKIN FORWARD OF THE LANDING GEAR, FROM THE WING ROOT TO JUST OUTBOARD OF THE LANDING GEAR WAS WRINKLED INDICATING ADVERSE LOADS TO THE LEFT WING MAIN SPAR. THIS SAME TYPE DAMAGE WAS ALSO NOTED ON THE LOWER RIGHT WING JUST FORWARD AND INBOARD OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. WING SKIN DAMAGE WAS ALSO FOUND AFT AND OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT GEAR INDICATING AFT SPAR DAMAGE.

## 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 ERA10CA513](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA513), Sep 23, 2010: Piper PA34 (N56196), Northampton, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.

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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