20161019020499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Fresno, CA · October 19, 2016

Date
October 19, 2016 · 14:40 local
Place
Fresno, CA
Airport
Fresno Yosemite International
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5541F
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA17CA035
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,400 total650 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

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.

Airman was practicing takeoffs and landings at kfat ( Fresno Yosemite intl airport) on his last landing the aircraft was observed to level off at about 5-10 feet above the runway and then the right wing dropped and aircraft skidded to a stop on the right side of runway 29L. The pilot was found unconcious when the airport rescue vehicles arrived. He did not have shoulder harnesses installed in the aircraft since it was manufactured without them.

Pilot reported to the FAA iic that he saw the right wing dropping and the ground rusing up. He said it was his pilot error. VMC conditions prevailed and winds were light. Pilot went to the hospital and was release the following day. No passengers were on board.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT KFAT ( FRESNO YOSEMITE INTL AIRPORT) ON HIS LAST LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO LEVEL OFF AT ABOUT 5-10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND THEN THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 29L. THE PILOT WAS FOUND UNCONCIOUS WHEN THE AIRPORT RESCUE VEHICLES ARRIVED. HE DID NOT HAVE SHOULDER HARNESSES INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT SINCE IT WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT THEM.

PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA IIC THAT HE SAW THE RIGHT WING DROPPING AND THE GROUND RUSING UP. HE SAID IT WAS HIS PILOT ERROR. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WINDS WERE LIGHT. PILOT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS RELEASE THE FOLLOWING DAY. NO PASSENGERS WERE ON BOARD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.