# Accident 20110822020019A: Piper AEROSTAR 601P, Alpine, TX, August 22, 2011 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 22, 2011, 17:07 local time - Place: Alpine, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.3842° N, 103.6836° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3842&lon=-103.6836&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8076J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8076J-2013-08-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper AEROSTAR 601P (registry code 7106012, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-aerostar-601p) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER AEROSTAR 601P - Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 4,164 total, 1,369 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11LA558](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA558) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110822020019A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON AUGUST 22, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 17:07CDT, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED INVOLVING THE OPERATION OF N8076J, A PIPER AEROSTAR 601P, AND SERIAL NUMBER 61P-0559-241. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PILOT, WITH TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD. THE FAA CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT HELD BOTH AIRPLANE SINGLE AND MULTI ENGINE LAND AND AN INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE RATINGS. THE PILOT COMPLETED SIMULATOR TRAINING AND AN FAA FLIGHT REVIEW ON AUGUST 10, 2011, 12 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS PLEASURE AND A RETURN FLIGHT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IS BASED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR), FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED THOUGH VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT FROM ALPINE-CASPARIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (E38), IN ALPINE, TEXAS, TO THE HOUSTON SOUTHWEST AIRPORT (AXH), IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 19 AND TURNED EAST BOUND. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT A VIBRATION AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTING AIRPORT AS A PRECAUTION. THE FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR WERE FULLY EXTENDED ON THE FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 19. DURING THE APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE ASPHALT AT THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 19. THE AIRCRAFT SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 19 APPROXIMATELY 1450 FEET FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 1230 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 19. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT AND THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE, THOUGH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE FULL PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED EVIDENT BY DAMAGE TO BOTH MAIN SPARES RESULTING FROM THE COLLAPSE OF BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT PROPELLER, NOSE GEAR, AND BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE.ON 09-19-2011 THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONTACTED THIS OFFICE AND STATED TO AN FAA INSPECTOR HE REMOVED THE RUDDER TRIM LOCKING NUT AND BOLT HIMSELF PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. HE FURTHER STRATED HE DID THIS BECAUSE THE RUDDER TRIM WOULD NOT CENTER DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND HE WANTED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO HIS HOME BASE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. ## 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 CEN11LA558](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA558), Aug 22, 2011: Piper Aerostar 601P (N8076J), Alpine, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to fly the airplane with a known mechanical deficiency. ## Other reports on N8076J (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20030413006389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030413006389I), Apr 13, 2003: Piper PA60601P (N8076J), Lafayette, LA. (-23) Dr. Noon was enroute to crestview, fla., when Dr. Noons Piper Aerostar 601-P lost manifold pressure, Dr. Noon declared an emergency and landed at… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.