# NTSB ANC23LA021: Piper PA-32-260, N44782, Tok, AK, February 11, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 10, 2023, 17:00 local (Feb 11, 2023, 02:00 UTC)
- Place: Tok, AK · Approach end of runway 07.
- Coordinates: 63.330079, -142.96163 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.3301&lon=-142.9616&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106730
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC23LA021
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106730/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106730
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA021

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach glide path, which resulted in a hard landing, short of his anticipated touchdown point.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot
- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during a landing attempt, the airplane descended below glide path and landed short of the runway. The airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the firewall and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) (defining event)
- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N44782](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44782), registered now, S/N 32-7500002, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-7500002
- Year built: 1974
- Airframe hours: 9968.9
- Engines: Lycoming o-540-E4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 9, 2023, 0 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: TKJ, Tok Junction, runway 07, 2,509 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 2, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,200 total, 250 in this make and model, 1,140 as pilot in command, 40.7 in the last 90 days, 32.8 in the last 30 days, 3.3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 3 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 29.46 inHg
- Observed at: PAOR, 35 nm away
- METAR: PAOR 110153Z 00000KT 10SM BKN100 M16/M18 A2946 RMK AO2 SLP043 T11561178

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20230210001759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230210001759A), Feb 10, 2023: Piper PA-32-260, Tok, AK, Substantial damage. During the approach at the Tok, Alaska airport runway 7, the pilot decided to practice a short field landing. After pulling the power back, the airspeed…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 6, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106730. 20.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 20.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15182523&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA021%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 217 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15182441&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA021%20investigative%20photographs-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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