What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After fueling, PIC departed cottonwood municipal airport (P52) at 1902 MST destined for Rimrock Airport (48AZ) in twilight conditions. While en-route, PIC noticed the indicated airspeed was suspect. PIC proceeded using engine RPM and vertical rate to maintain speed. After activating the pilot-controlled runway lights, the PIC positioned the aircraft for a straight-in approach to AZ48 runway 05. At sensing higher-than-optimal height above the runway, the PIC lowered flaps and reduced power. At the runway threshold PIC felt he had achieved a proper height above the surface and reduced power to idle. Upon clearing the "numbers" PIC increased pitch attitude and flared too early while going too fast. The aircraft bounced, returned to the surface and exited the right side of the runway. Aircraft departed the runway surface approximately 800 ft. past the landing threshold. This resulted in damage to both wings and the propeller, plus probable hidden damage. PIC stated that following accident, he noted the ASI was stuck at 89KTS.
During investigation, noted that the aircraft annual inspection was overdue by 4 days. This could not be determined to be a causal factor to the accident. The PIC stated that he relied on maintenance personnel to notify him of upcoming annual inspections coming due. This notification was overlooked by the PIC. Aircraft records did not indicate a trend of annul inspections not being completed. Based on this non-compliance, counselling was given to the PIC regarding his responsibilities as the owner / operator to ensure all required maintenance to include annual inspections are complete and recorded in the aircraft records prior to operating an aircraft.
During the investigation, PIC stated that the accident was caused by his misjudging the aircraft?s airspeed during landing that was initiated by a lack of a reliable airspeed indication. PIC also stated that due to his age and the cost of the repairs required of his aircraft, he is going to discontinue flying. Following review of the facts and the PIC?s statements, it was determined that the PIC does not show a lack of qualifications / competence and counseling was provided to the PIC concerning his aeronautical decision making concerning this flight.
Due to covid-19, this investigation was not conducted on-scene.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER FUELING, PIC DEPARTED COTTONWOOD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (P52) AT 1902 MST DESTINED FOR RIMROCK AIRPORT (48AZ) IN TWILIGHT CONDITIONS. WHILE EN-ROUTE, PIC NOTICED THE INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS SUSPECT. PIC PROCEEDED USING ENGINE RPM AND VERTICAL RATE TO MAINTAIN SPEED. AFTER ACTIVATING THE PILOT-CONTROLLED RUNWAY LIGHTS, THE PIC POSITIONED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO AZ48 RUNWAY 05. AT SENSING HIGHER-THAN-OPTIMAL HEIGHT ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE PIC LOWERED FLAPS AND REDUCED POWER. AT THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD PIC FELT HE HAD ACHIEVED A PROPER HEIGHT ABOVE THE SURFACE AND REDUCED POWER TO IDLE. UPON CLEARING THE "NUMBERS" PIC INCREASED PITCH ATTITUDE AND FLARED TOO EARLY WHILE GOING TOO FAST. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, RETURNED TO THE SURFACE AND EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE APPROXIMATELY 800 FT. PAST THE LANDING THRESHOLD. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND THE PROPELLER, PLUS PROBABLE HIDDEN DAMAGE. PIC STATED THAT FOLLOWING ACCIDENT, HE NOTED THE ASI WAS STUCK AT 89KTS.
DURING INVESTIGATION, NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE BY 4 DAYS. THIS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED TO BE A CAUSAL FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PIC STATED THAT HE RELIED ON MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO NOTIFY HIM OF UPCOMING ANNUAL INSPECTIONS COMING DUE. THIS NOTIFICATION WAS OVERLOOKED BY THE PIC. AIRCRAFT RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE A TREND OF ANNUL INSPECTIONS NOT BEING COMPLETED. BASED ON THIS NON-COMPLIANCE, COUNSELLING WAS GIVEN TO THE PIC REGARDING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE OWNER / OPERATOR TO ENSURE ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE TO INCLUDE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS ARE COMPLETE AND RECORDED IN THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS PRIOR TO OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT.
DURING THE INVESTIGATION, PIC STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY HIS MISJUDGING THE AIRCRAFT?S AIRSPEED DURING LANDING THAT WAS INITIATED BY A LACK OF A RELIABLE AIRSPEED INDICATION. PIC ALSO STATED THAT DUE TO HIS AGE AND THE COST OF THE REPAIRS REQUIRED OF HIS AIRCRAFT, HE IS GOING TO DISCONTINUE FLYING. FOLLOWING REVIEW OF THE FACTS AND THE PIC?S STATEMENTS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PIC DOES NOT SHOW A LACK OF QUALIFICATIONS / COMPETENCE AND COUNSELING WAS PROVIDED TO THE PIC CONCERNING HIS AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING CONCERNING THIS FLIGHT.
DUE TO COVID-19, THIS INVESTIGATION WAS NOT CONDUCTED ON-SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N22979 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.