What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 14:43 EDT on 04/07/2023, a PA-32-260, landing at the Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Florida, runway 10, had experienced a hard landing, an aerodynamic stall, and lost of control, which resulted in substantial aircraft damage and fatally injuring the pilot (the sole occupant). The aircraft was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight with visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailing.
According to witnesses’ statements, the aircraft made a normal approach to runway 10, leveled off at approximately 5FT-15FT over the runway at a low airspeed. As the aircraft descended to the runway, it touchdown “hard” on the nose before bouncing back up into the air. Witnesses heard engine power added and saw the aircraft turn 90 degrees to the left, in a nose high attitude, while it progressively rolled into an approximately 90 degree bank angle. The aircraft lost altitude as it turned and the left wingtip contacted the ground, followed by the aircraft’s nose, and “cart wheeled” in the grass, north of runway 10.
The aircraft came to rest (approximately 500 ft. from runway centerline), at an approximate 45 degree angle from upside down, facing southeast, with the left wing residing in front and to the left of the aircraft’s nose and the right wing resting on top of the wreckage hanging over the underside of the aircraft. Substantial damage observed throughout the wreckage to include the fuselage, empennage, l/r wings, landing gear, engine, and propeller.
Post-accident engine and propeller witness marks indicate engine power at time of ground impact. Examination of throttle quadrant reveals throttle in full open position, propeller control – full forward, and mixture control- full rich.
When and if further information becomes available, this report may be updated or amended accordingly.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 14:43 EDT ON 04/07/2023, A PA-32-260, LANDING AT THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (X26), SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA, RUNWAY 10, HAD EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING, AN AERODYNAMIC STALL, AND LOST OF CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT (THE SOLE OCCUPANT). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WITH VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) PREVAILING.
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES’ STATEMENTS, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 10, LEVELED OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 5FT-15FT OVER THE RUNWAY AT A LOW AIRSPEED. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO THE RUNWAY, IT TOUCHDOWN “HARD” ON THE NOSE BEFORE BOUNCING BACK UP INTO THE AIR. WITNESSES HEARD ENGINE POWER ADDED AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT TURN 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WHILE IT PROGRESSIVELY ROLLED INTO AN APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREE BANK ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AS IT TURNED AND THE LEFT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND, FOLLOWED BY THE AIRCRAFT’S NOSE, AND “CART WHEELED” IN THE GRASS, NORTH OF RUNWAY 10.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST (APPROXIMATELY 500 FT. FROM RUNWAY CENTERLINE), AT AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE ANGLE FROM UPSIDE DOWN, FACING SOUTHEAST, WITH THE LEFT WING RESIDING IN FRONT AND TO THE LEFT OF THE AIRCRAFT’S NOSE AND THE RIGHT WING RESTING ON TOP OF THE WRECKAGE HANGING OVER THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE WRECKAGE TO INCLUDE THE FUSELAGE, EMPENNAGE, L/R WINGS, LANDING GEAR, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER.
POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE AND PROPELLER WITNESS MARKS INDICATE ENGINE POWER AT TIME OF GROUND IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THROTTLE QUADRANT REVEALS THROTTLE IN FULL OPEN POSITION, PROPELLER CONTROL – FULL FORWARD, AND MIXTURE CONTROL- FULL RICH.
WHEN AND IF FURTHER INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT MAY BE UPDATED OR AMENDED ACCORDINGLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.