OpenAirDocs.org

20230412003499I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Piper PA-32R-301T · Kalamazoo, MI · April 12, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 12, 2023 · 12:46 local
Place
Kalamazoo, MI
Airport
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N568C
Reported as
Piper PA-32R-301T
Reported engine
Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,048 total500 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N568CRegistered now · Piper PA-32R-301TS/N 3257264 · Built 2001Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-301TEngine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On or about April 12, 2023, at approximately 1246 EDT, a 2001 Piper PA-32R-310T, a fixed-wing single-engine airplane, sustained minor damage after landing without the landing gear extended at the Kalamazoo / Battle Creek international airport (kazo) in Kalamazoo, MI. The PIC stated that the flight was conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (14 CFR) part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the following is the weather observation from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (kazo) at the approximate time of the incident:

METAR kazo 121553Z 25018G25KT 10SM clr 24/08 A3001 rmk AO2 SLP159 T02390083

The PIC stated that as he approached kazo, he was handed off to the tower and subsequently cleared to land on runway 35. The PIC recalled there were gusty crosswinds at the time of his arrival, stating he was “fighting a crosswind like I’ve never encountered.” the PIC admits that all of his focus was on maintaining runway alignment. Due to his fixation on controlling the aircraft, the PIC forgot to perform his before-landing checks, which included lowering the landing gear. As a result of failing to complete the before-landing checks, the PIC landed on runway 35 at kazo without the landing gear extended. The PIC was able to exit the aircraft under his own power, and no injuries were reported.

As the FAA filed it

ON OR ABOUT APRIL 12, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1246 EDT, A 2001 PIPER PA-32R-310T, A FIXED-WING SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AFTER LANDING WITHOUT THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AT THE KALAMAZOO / BATTLE CREEK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KAZO) IN KALAMAZOO, MI. THE PIC STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (14 CFR) PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND THE FOLLOWING IS THE WEATHER OBSERVATION FROM THE KALAMAZOO/BATTLE CREEK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KAZO) AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE INCIDENT:

METAR KAZO 121553Z 25018G25KT 10SM CLR 24/08 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP159 T02390083

THE PIC STATED THAT AS HE APPROACHED KAZO, HE WAS HANDED OFF TO THE TOWER AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35. THE PIC RECALLED THERE WERE GUSTY CROSSWINDS AT THE TIME OF HIS ARRIVAL, STATING HE WAS “FIGHTING A CROSSWIND LIKE I’VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED.” THE PIC ADMITS THAT ALL OF HIS FOCUS WAS ON MAINTAINING RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. DUE TO HIS FIXATION ON CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PIC FORGOT TO PERFORM HIS BEFORE-LANDING CHECKS, WHICH INCLUDED LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR. AS A RESULT OF FAILING TO COMPLETE THE BEFORE-LANDING CHECKS, THE PIC LANDED ON RUNWAY 35 AT KAZO WITHOUT THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT UNDER HIS OWN POWER, AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.