# NTSB CEN10LA303: Piper PA-28R-180, N7559J, Kingfisher, OK, June 6, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2010, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Kingfisher, OK - Coordinates: 35.870277, -97.952499 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8703&lon=-97.9525&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 76230 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA303 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76230/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76230 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA303 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate airspeed while landing, which led to an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-180, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said that this was his second landing on the grass strip that day. The winds were gusty and there was a slight crosswind. He turned onto final approach at 80 knots indicated airspeed with the landing gear down and flaps fully extended. He descended to the round out (flare), but the airplane "floated." He lowered the nose to allow the airplane to settle and he heard the stall warning horn intermittently. He applied full throttle and the engine responded but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane landed "hard." The left wing struck the ground, the airplane bounced, and then the right wing struck the ground. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop. The pilot said that he didn't take into consideration the density altitude and that if he had maintained a higher landing speed the airplane would not have stalled. An examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2010, approximately 0930 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N7559J, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when the nose landing gear collapsed on landing at Kingfisher Airport (F92), Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane were not injured. The local flight originated approximately 0915 from F92. The following is based on the pilot's accident report and what he told FAA inspectors. The pilot said this was his second landing on the grass strip that day. The winds were gusty and there was a slight crosswind. He turned onto final approach at 80 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed) with the landing gear down and flaps fully extended. He descended to the round out (flare), but the airplane "floated." He lowered the nose to allow the airplane to settle and he heard the stall warning horn intermittently. He applied full throttle and the engine responded but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane landed "hard." The left wing struck the ground, the airplane bounced, and then the right wing struck the ground. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop. The pilot said he didn't take into consideration the density altitude when he prepared for his second landing. He said if he had maintained a higher landing speed, the airplane would not have stalled. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7559J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7559J), registered now, S/N 28R-30937, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180) (registry code 7102809) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-30937 - Airframe hours: 4404 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B1E 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Edward L. Hale - Registered owner: Edward L. Hale - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 26, 2010, 1 hours before - Departed: F92, Kingfisher, OK - Destination: F92, Kingfisher, OK - Airport: F92, Kingfisher, runway 35, 2,580 × 375 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 4, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 129 total, 62 in this make and model, 83 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: OKC, 140 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100606005249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100606005249A), Jun 6, 2010: Piper PA-28R-180, Kingfisher, OK, Substantial damage. Pilot was making his second landing on grass strip. Aircraft landed hard on left wing tip then on right wing and the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft slid to… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76230. 179 KB in all. - NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 160 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333631&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332473&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.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. --- 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.