What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 22, 2025, at approximatley 2055HRS while on landing approach at hpn above mentioned aircraft did strike the 600FT, 400FT and 200FT and runway threshold marker lights causing substantial damage to the aircraft while landing short eventually making it on to runway 16. The aircraft then taxied back to the atlantic west ramp and parked without notifying the tower, operations, NTSB or FAA.
Pilot states:
On Monday evening, September 22, 2025, I was landing my Piper PA-32R-300 aircraft at my based airport of Westchester County Airport (khpn) shortly before 9 pm. I was on a stabilized VFR to runway 16. As I turned final, the tower cleared an A320 to depart prior to my landing.
Concerned about wake turbulence, I advanced my planned touchdown point on the runway to before the expected rotation point of the Airbus. The tower also advised of maintenance crews and equipment to the left of the runway. As I looked for the maintenance crews described by the tower and reconfigured the aircraft for a shorter touch-down point, the pitch change resulted in sudden glare from the very bright approach lights. The sudden glare harmed my night vision and were momentarily disorienting. The aircraft began to sink and I was correcting when I felt a bump.
I continued the landing normally and taxied off the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2025, AT APPROXIMATLEY 2055HRS WHILE ON LANDING APPROACH AT HPN ABOVE MENTIONED AIRCRAFT DID STRIKE THE 600FT, 400FT AND 200FT AND RUNWAY THRESHOLD MARKER LIGHTS CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WHILE LANDING SHORT EVENTUALLY MAKING IT ON TO RUNWAY 16. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TAXIED BACK TO THE ATLANTIC WEST RAMP AND PARKED WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE TOWER, OPERATIONS, NTSB OR FAA.
PILOT STATES:
ON MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 22, 2025, I WAS LANDING MY PIPER PA-32R-300 AIRCRAFT AT MY BASED AIRPORT OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT (KHPN) SHORTLY BEFORE 9 PM. I WAS ON A STABILIZED VFR TO RUNWAY 16. AS I TURNED FINAL, THE TOWER CLEARED AN A320 TO DEPART PRIOR TO MY LANDING.
CONCERNED ABOUT WAKE TURBULENCE, I ADVANCED MY PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT ON THE RUNWAY TO BEFORE THE EXPECTED ROTATION POINT OF THE AIRBUS. THE TOWER ALSO ADVISED OF MAINTENANCE CREWS AND EQUIPMENT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. AS I LOOKED FOR THE MAINTENANCE CREWS DESCRIBED BY THE TOWER AND RECONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A SHORTER TOUCH-DOWN POINT, THE PITCH CHANGE RESULTED IN SUDDEN GLARE FROM THE VERY BRIGHT APPROACH LIGHTS. THE SUDDEN GLARE HARMED MY NIGHT VISION AND WERE MOMENTARILY DISORIENTING. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SINK AND I WAS CORRECTING WHEN I FELT A BUMP.
I CONTINUED THE LANDING NORMALLY AND TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY.
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 N47630 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.