What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 4/8/24 at about 1130 hours local time a PA24 single engine airplane, experienced a hard landing short of runway 35 and was substantially damaged. There were four persons on board at the time and no injuries were reported.
Damage was consistent with a significant vertical impact with the ground including structural damage to the fuselage and wings, consistent with a hard landing. Propeller damage indicated engine power during impact.
The PIC stated that the accident flight departed nashua NH and his intended point of landing was Sugarloaf Regional. As he began his decent into the airport the reported winds were 250 at 7 knots gusting to 15 so he elected to use runway 35. On final approach he held an indicated airspeed of about 95 mph with the majority of the final approach being uneventful. At about 50-100 feet above ground the aircraft suddenly began a rapid decent. The PIC reported that he immediately applied full throttle and right rudder to begin a go around but the yoke control felt “mushy”. However, the aircraft continued to descend and the landing gear struck the ground prior to the runway. After the initial impact the airplane flew for another 75 feet or so before falling onto the runway and sliding to a stop. The PIC said that he did not receive any stall warning throughout the final approach. He added that he did feel that the wind was more of a left crosswind than a headwind during final approach.
The statements of the PIC and damage to the aircraft indicate a stall on short final was allowed to develop. Contributing to the pilot error was the pilot’s lack of experience and approach and landing at an unfamiliar airport in adverse winds.
As the FAA filed it
ON 4/8/24 AT ABOUT 1130 HOURS LOCAL TIME A PA24 SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 35 AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WERE FOUR PERSONS ON BOARD AT THE TIME AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A SIGNIFICANT VERTICAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND INCLUDING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND WINGS, CONSISTENT WITH A HARD LANDING. PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATED ENGINE POWER DURING IMPACT.
THE PIC STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED NASHUA NH AND HIS INTENDED POINT OF LANDING WAS SUGARLOAF REGIONAL. AS HE BEGAN HIS DECENT INTO THE AIRPORT THE REPORTED WINDS WERE 250 AT 7 KNOTS GUSTING TO 15 SO HE ELECTED TO USE RUNWAY 35. ON FINAL APPROACH HE HELD AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 95 MPH WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FINAL APPROACH BEING UNEVENTFUL. AT ABOUT 50-100 FEET ABOVE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY BEGAN A RAPID DECENT. THE PIC REPORTED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND RIGHT RUDDER TO BEGIN A GO AROUND BUT THE YOKE CONTROL FELT “MUSHY”. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE GROUND PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT THE AIRPLANE FLEW FOR ANOTHER 75 FEET OR SO BEFORE FALLING ONTO THE RUNWAY AND SLIDING TO A STOP. THE PIC SAID THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY STALL WARNING THROUGHOUT THE FINAL APPROACH. HE ADDED THAT HE DID FEEL THAT THE WIND WAS MORE OF A LEFT CROSSWIND THAN A HEADWIND DURING FINAL APPROACH.
THE STATEMENTS OF THE PIC AND DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INDICATE A STALL ON SHORT FINAL WAS ALLOWED TO DEVELOP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE PILOT ERROR WAS THE PILOT’S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND APPROACH AND LANDING AT AN UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT IN ADVERSE WINDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N6465P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.