# NTSB ATL07LA086: Piper PA-32-300, N87619, Columbia, SC, May 30, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 30, 2007, 17:10 local (21:10 UTC) - Place: Columbia, SC - Coordinates: 33.936389, -81.118331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9364&lon=-81.1183&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Columbia FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 65896 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL07LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65896/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL07LA086 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,nose gear - overload - landing gear,nose gear - failure,partial - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The pilot stated that on the landing flare, he heard a "loud bang" when the nose wheel touched down. The nose of the airplane "bounced" back into the air and the tail of the airplane struck the runway. The nose then settled back to the ground and the airplane came to a stop. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the nose wheel fork was broken in two parts, and the empennage was buckled. The nose landing gear wheel fork was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination. The fracture features were on slant planes with a matte gray appearance consistent with an overstress fracture. No evidence of a preexisting damage was observed. The overall deformation of both legs of the fork was consistent with side loading. ## Factual narrative On May 30, 2007 at 1710 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N87619, registered to and operated by Ram Air Freight LLC as a 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 135 cargo flight, had a nose gear collapse on landing roll at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial rated pilot was not injured. The flight departed Myrtle Beach International Airport, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on May 30, 2007, at 1655. The pilot stated that on landing flare, he heard a "loud bang" when the nose wheel touched down. The nose of the airplane "bounced" back into the air and the tail of the airplane struck the runway. The nose then settled back to the ground and the airplane came to a stop. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed that the nose wheel assembly was broken off the strut. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the nose wheel fork was broken off the strut, and was in two parts. Further examination of the airplane revealed that the empennage was buckled. The nose landing gear wheel fork was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination. The fracture features were on slant planes with a matte gray appearance, consistent with an overstress fracture. No evidence of a preexisting damage was observed. The overall deformation of both legs of the fork was consistent with side loading. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N87619](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N87619-2017-10-31), registration cancelled 2017-10-31, S/N 32-40752, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-40752 - Airframe hours: 6545 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Ram Air Freight Inc, doing business as Ram Air Freight - Registered owner: Bellefonte Incorporated - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2006, 26 hours before - Departed: MYR, MYRTLE BEACH, SC - Destination: CAE, COLUMBIA, SC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CAE, Columbia Metropolitan, runway 5, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 2,200 total, 32 in this make and model, 900 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: KCAE ## 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 20070530012149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070530012149A), May 30, 2007: Piper PA32300, Columbia, SC, Substantial damage. (-23) On touchdown, nose fork failed. Prop strike occurred, nose raised and tail section struck runway causing damage to last bulkhead and lower skin. Nose… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.