# Accident 20210307009109A: Piper PA-32RT-300, Brevard, NC, March 7, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 7, 2021, 13:05 local time
- Place: Brevard, NC
- Airport: Transylvania Community
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2703° N, 82.6442° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2703&lon=-82.6442&mi=10
- Aircraft: N94GF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94GF-2022-07-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32RT-300 (registry code 7103215, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32RT-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 557 total, 329 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA153) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210307009109A

## Narrative

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

DESCRIPTION :  ACCIDENT PA-32 HARD LANDING  (3NR3) TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY AIRPORT

SAS: EA68202102045

INVESTIGATION:

A PRIVATE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LANDING AT (3NR3) TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY AIRPORT ON 03/7/2021 AT 18:50Z OR 13:05 EST. DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO LAND THE WINDS WERE VERY HIGH AND GUSTY. NO OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT 3NR3 TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY AIRPORT, SO THE PILOT CHOOSE TO USE AN AIRPORT CLOSE BY KAVL ASHEVILLE, NC. TO OBTAIN THE LOCAL WEATHER.

THE PILOT CHOOSE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 09 AT 3NR3 TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY AIRPORT. AS HE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOTICE FROM THE WIND SOCK THAT THE WIND WAS REALLY VARIABLE IN DIRECTION AND THAT RUNWAY 09 MIGHT BE FAVORING MORE OF A TAIL WIND BUT HE STILL CHOOSE TO ATTEMPT THE LANDING AND NOT GO-AROUND.

DURING THE LANDING THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS A VERY HARD LANDING. SHORTLY AFTER THE HARD TOUCH DOWN DURING ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THEN TURNED 180 DEGREES IN DIRECTION AND THEN RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY BACKWARDS.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE VERY HARD LANDING, THE LEFT LANDING GEAR STRUT WAS PUSHED THROUGH THE UPPER LEFT WING SKIN. THIS DAMAGE FROM THE HARD LANDING IS EVIDENT TO THE CAUSE OF THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT DURING ROLL OUT.

WHY: DUE TO HIGH GUSTY WINDS PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING AND DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT TO A POINT WHERE IT WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE DURING ROLL OUT.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 9 WITH A GUSTY TAIL WIND OF EXCESS OF 10 KTS

## 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 ERA21LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA153), Mar 7, 2021: Piper PA-32RT-300 (N94GF), Brevard, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, overstress fracture of components of the left main landing gear, and subsequent runway excursion.

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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