What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 8/5/2022 it was reported that a hard landing on 8/2/82022 resulted in significant damage to privacy data omitted. The aircraft is a Piper PA-31 that was being operated part 91 hauling passengers and operated by the privacy data omitted in Port Alsworth.
privacy data omitted Pilot, ATP privacy data omitted stated that he was approaching runway 24R over the bay and the approach was stable at approximately 85 knots. The crosswind was 30 degrees and in the teens with no gusts. The pilot said right before touchdown the left wing dipped causing the left gear to touchdown first near the pad at the end of the runway right on the centerline of the runway.
The pilot though it was a harder than normal landing but did not seem excessive. He did look around the airplane after landing and did not see any damage at that time. He checked the touchdown point and no witness marks were on the ground to indicate anything excessive on the day of the landing.
On 8/5/2022 maintenance was bringing the aircraft in for maintenance and discovered buckling on the lower side of the wing between the engine and the fuselage. After reviewing the regulations they determined the damage was significant and reported the damage. The aircraft had not been flown since the hard landing on 8/2/2022. There are no plans to repair the aircraft at this time and there is no ability to see a complete list of damaged parts without opening the skin. The area with damage is structural and will required extensive maintenance to repair with any damage in that area.
As the FAA filed it
ON 8/5/2022 IT WAS REPORTED THAT A HARD LANDING ON 8/2/82022 RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT IS A PIPER PA-31 THAT WAS BEING OPERATED PART 91 HAULING PASSENGERS AND OPERATED BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN PORT ALSWORTH.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT, ATP ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE WAS APPROACHING RUNWAY 24R OVER THE BAY AND THE APPROACH WAS STABLE AT APPROXIMATELY 85 KNOTS. THE CROSSWIND WAS 30 DEGREES AND IN THE TEENS WITH NO GUSTS. THE PILOT SAID RIGHT BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT WING DIPPED CAUSING THE LEFT GEAR TO TOUCHDOWN FIRST NEAR THE PAD AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY RIGHT ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY.
THE PILOT THOUGH IT WAS A HARDER THAN NORMAL LANDING BUT DID NOT SEEM EXCESSIVE. HE DID LOOK AROUND THE AIRPLANE AFTER LANDING AND DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE AT THAT TIME. HE CHECKED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND NO WITNESS MARKS WERE ON THE GROUND TO INDICATE ANYTHING EXCESSIVE ON THE DAY OF THE LANDING.
ON 8/5/2022 MAINTENANCE WAS BRINGING THE AIRCRAFT IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND DISCOVERED BUCKLING ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE WING BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FUSELAGE. AFTER REVIEWING THE REGULATIONS THEY DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT AND REPORTED THE DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN SINCE THE HARD LANDING ON 8/2/2022. THERE ARE NO PLANS TO REPAIR THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS TIME AND THERE IS NO ABILITY TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF DAMAGED PARTS WITHOUT OPENING THE SKIN. THE AREA WITH DAMAGE IS STRUCTURAL AND WILL REQUIRED EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE TO REPAIR WITH ANY DAMAGE IN THAT AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.