# NTSB CEN20TA025: Piper PA34, N15412, Mount Pleasant, TX, November 25, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: November 25, 2019, 16:10 local (22:10 UTC) - Place: Mount Pleasant, TX - Coordinates: 33.094165, -94.961387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0942&lon=-94.9614&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 100640 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20TA025 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100640/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100640 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20TA025 ## Probable cause The pilot's hard, bounced landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a fracture of the nose landing gear mounting structure. ## 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 · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the instructional cross-country flight, the pilot receiving instruction was in the left seat and manipulating the flight controls. During the landing attempt, the airplane bounced and became airborne again with a nose-high pitch attitude. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and continued the landing. Witnesses observed the airplane land hard, bounce, then the nose gear collapsed and punctured the fuselage and the windscreen. The airplane slid on the runway and came to rest upright. A postaccident examination revealed that the nose landing gear mounting structure was fractured at the lower truss. The mount was displaced upward and punctured the fuselage. The nose tire was partially deflated. The damage to the mounting structure was consistent with a hard landing on the nose landing gear. ## Factual narrative On November 25, 2019, about 1610 central standard time, a Piper PA34-200 airplane, N15412, landed hard on the nose landing gear at Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, (OSA), Mount Pleasant, Texas. The flight instructor and pilot under instruction were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by US Aviation Group LLC, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated from Denton Enterprise Airport (DTO), Denton, Texas, about 1510. A company mechanic stated that before the accident flight he was called out to the airplane for maintenance and when he arrived, he noticed the nose gear strut was extended too far. He released some nitrogen pressure from the strut and lowered it to 2.8 inches of extension, which was within proper tolerance. According to the flight instructor (CFI), during the preflight inspection the nose gear strut appeared to be extended more than normal so they called a company mechanic to the assess the issue. He stated that the mechanic released pressure in the nose strut which resulted in the strut lowering to a normal position. The CFI stated that during the flight the airplane and landing gear were operating normally. The pilot receiving multi-engine instruction was in the left seat and flew the accident approach and landing. Before landing the pilot stated that he confirmed the landing gear were down and locked. The CFI stated that during the landing the airplane touched down on the runway with the main landing gear first and then the nose gear touched down and felt like it had a flat tire. The airplane bounced, during which the CFI noticed a high pitch attitude and assumed control of the airplane, then landed again. During this sequence the nose gear strut came through the windscreen between the two pilots. The CFI stated that he had accumulated 15 flight hours in the accident airplane make and model. He added that the accident flight was his first flight in the accident airplane. The pilot receiving instruction stated that during the landing the main gear touched first and then the nose gear, then bounced into the air about 5 ft. He stated that the CFI took control of the airplane after the bounce. The pilot receiving instruction had flown the accident airplane for a total of 3 flights and 3.9 hours not including the accident flight. During the flight lesson before the accident flight, he completed 3 to 4 good landings with no bounces. One witness, who was an OSA airport employee, observed the approach and landing. He stated that the airplane landed on the nose wheel first while the main landing gear were still about one foot off the runway. The airplane bounced into the air then landed hard on the nose wheel again. The airplane slid on the runway and came to rest upright about1,000 ft later. Another witness, who is a pilot and has his airplane hangared at OSA, observed the approach and landing. He stated that the airplane was very fast on final approach and landed fairly flat on the first landing attempt. The airplane bounced into the air about 10 to 15 ft then landed on the nose gear. The airplane bounced a final time and came down directly on the nose gear. The airplane hit the runway hard and the nose strut collapsed upward into the fuselage (Figure 1). Figure 1 – Airplane with nose gear strut through the fuselage and windscreen A postaccident examination of the damage to the nose landing gear revealed that the lower truss of the nose gear mounting structure was fractured. The nose gear mount assembly separated from the airframe but remained attached to the windscreen trim strip. The mount was displaced upward and punctured through the top of the fuselage and fractured the windscreen. The nose landing gear strut was intact and did not show signs of damage or failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N15412](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15412-2021-09-03), registration cancelled 2021-09-03, S/N 34-7350060, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA34 (200) - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7350060 - Year built: 1972 - Airframe hours: 11482.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO360 reciprocating; Lycoming IO360 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: US Aviation Group LLC - Registered owner: US Aviation Group LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 12, 2019 - Departed: DTO, Denton, TX - Destination: OSA, Mount Pleasant, TX - Airport: OSA, Mount Pleasant Rgnl, runway 17, 6,004 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 485 total, 15 in this make and model, 345 as pilot in command, 76 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 210 total, 4 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Observed at: KOSA ## 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 20191125022579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191125022579A), Nov 25, 2019: Piper PA-34-200, Mount Pleasant, TX, Substantial damage. On November 25, 2019, at approximately 1715 local time, a Piper seneca PA-34-200 (Registration number N15412) with two souls on board touched down on runway 17… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 26, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100640. 6.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480785&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Correspondence - Emails (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480786&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20Emails%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - Records of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480787&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Records%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480788&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Reports from Parties to the Investigation (Piper) (item 5, .PDF, 676 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480789&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Parties%20to%20the%20Investigation%20(Piper)-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records - Excerpts (item 6, .PDF, 350 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20-%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - ADS-B Raw Data (item 7, .CSV, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480791&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=ADS-B%20Raw%20Data-Master.csv - Correspondence - Chief Flight Instructor (Emails) (item 8, .PDF, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480792&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20Chief%20Flight%20Instructor%20(Emails)-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 9, .PDF, 257 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480793&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-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.