BFO94LA131

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-236 · Wolfeboro, NH · August 10, 1994

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 10, 1994, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
Place
Wolfeboro, NH
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3372MPiper PA-28-236
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 27, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19940810021079A
Case key
8955

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate inflight decision, which resulted in a downwnind landing and overrun of the runway.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

OverrunLanding - roll
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Planning/decision - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - drop-off/descending embankment

Analysis

The pilot was landing on a 2030 foot long runway with a tailwind component of 10 to 12 knots. According to the pilot, he said he touched down 50 feet past the runway threshold at about 60 to 65 knots. He stated that he retracted the flaps and applied full braking, but he was unable to stop the airplane on the runway. The airplane exited the runway down an embankment onto a road. He stated that there was no mechanical malfunction. In his written report of the accident the pilot explained that runway 30 has a 3% downhill gradient and that runway 12 is used if the tailwind component is 10 KTS or less.

Factual narrative

On August 10, 1994, at 1400 eastern daylight time, N3372M, a Piper PA-28-236, operated by Aviation Consultants of New London, New Hampshire, crashed during landing on runway 12 at Lakes Region Airport, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured while the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight originated in New London, New Hampshire, and was operated under 14 CFR 91.

According to the pilot, the flight to Wolfeboro was uneventful. He stated that he had landed at this airport several times. During the landing, the pilot stated that his approach speed was 72 knots with full flaps. He stated that he touched down about 50 feet past the runway threshold at about 60 to 65 knots. He said that he retracted the flaps, and applied the brakes, but the airplane exited the runway down an embankment onto the road. The pilot stated that the runway is 2030 feet long and there was no mechanical malfunction. According to the FAA, there was a tailwind component of about 10 to 12 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N3372M
Reported as
Piper PA-28-236
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-8011059
Airframe hours
1,845
Engine
Lycoming O-540-J3A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Aviation Consultants Inc.
Registered owner
Aviation Consultants Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · July 13, 1994 · 9 hours before
Departed
NH40 · New London, NH
Airport
8B8 · Lakes Region, runway 12, 2,030 × 50 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
71
Certificates
Airline transport, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
44,818 total · 345 in this make and model · 22,415 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
LCI, 7 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.