What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 18th 2022, a Piper PA-32-300, registration number N4468X, sn: 32-7640024 experienced a tail strike on landing at Carlisle Municipal Airport (N94) at the conclusion of a part 91 flight from hagerstown airport (hgr). There were no injuries among the 6 souls on board. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the bottom of the tail section including the empennage bulkhead, tail tie down ring, attaching structure, and the tail cone.
The pilot stated that on Monday March 18, 2022, he took 5 people plus himself to hagerstown for dinner. Prior to the return flight, his passengers decided to change where they were sitting. A recalculation of his weight and balance allowed for full fuel while remaining under gross weight and within CG limits. He decided to top off all four fuel tanks and departed from hagerstown around 7 pm local time. The pilot tuned in capital city ATIS since they are the closest weather observation broadcast to N94. He calculated the crosswind factor based on reported winds 170@14. He made the decision to land on runway 10 at N94 Carlisle.
As he approached the threshold of runway 10, he stated he "felt the normal roll that runway has due to terrain". As he crossed the threshold, he reduced power but still had a good amount of right rudder in to maintain the center line. He descended to about 5 feet off the ground when suddenly the crosswind dissipated and the sink rate increased while he was flared for landing. The plane dropped to the ground and landed hard tail first, making three bounces after the tail strike. There were no injuries and he was unable to locate any obvious damage due to low light conditions.
The next morning he returned with his mechanic to inspect the aircraft. During the inspection, he noticed a piece of plastic on the ground under the tail and he and his mechanic discovered the tail damage at that time.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 18TH 2022, A PIPER PA-32-300, REGISTRATION NUMBER N4468X, SN: 32-7640024 EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE ON LANDING AT CARLISLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (N94) AT THE CONCLUSION OF A PART 91 FLIGHT FROM HAGERSTOWN AIRPORT (HGR). THERE WERE NO INJURIES AMONG THE 6 SOULS ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TAIL SECTION INCLUDING THE EMPENNAGE BULKHEAD, TAIL TIE DOWN RING, ATTACHING STRUCTURE, AND THE TAIL CONE.
THE PILOT STATED THAT ON MONDAY MARCH 18, 2022, HE TOOK 5 PEOPLE PLUS HIMSELF TO HAGERSTOWN FOR DINNER. PRIOR TO THE RETURN FLIGHT, HIS PASSENGERS DECIDED TO CHANGE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. A RECALCULATION OF HIS WEIGHT AND BALANCE ALLOWED FOR FULL FUEL WHILE REMAINING UNDER GROSS WEIGHT AND WITHIN CG LIMITS. HE DECIDED TO TOP OFF ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS AND DEPARTED FROM HAGERSTOWN AROUND 7 PM LOCAL TIME. THE PILOT TUNED IN CAPITAL CITY ATIS SINCE THEY ARE THE CLOSEST WEATHER OBSERVATION BROADCAST TO N94. HE CALCULATED THE CROSSWIND FACTOR BASED ON REPORTED WINDS 170@14. HE MADE THE DECISION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 10 AT N94 CARLISLE.
AS HE APPROACHED THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 10, HE STATED HE "FELT THE NORMAL ROLL THAT RUNWAY HAS DUE TO TERRAIN". AS HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD, HE REDUCED POWER BUT STILL HAD A GOOD AMOUNT OF RIGHT RUDDER IN TO MAINTAIN THE CENTER LINE. HE DESCENDED TO ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND WHEN SUDDENLY THE CROSSWIND DISSIPATED AND THE SINK RATE INCREASED WHILE HE WAS FLARED FOR LANDING. THE PLANE DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND LANDED HARD TAIL FIRST, MAKING THREE BOUNCES AFTER THE TAIL STRIKE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY OBVIOUS DAMAGE DUE TO LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS.
THE NEXT MORNING HE RETURNED WITH HIS MECHANIC TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE INSPECTION, HE NOTICED A PIECE OF PLASTIC ON THE GROUND UNDER THE TAIL AND HE AND HIS MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE TAIL DAMAGE AT THAT TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.