# NTSB CHI03LA279: Piper PA-34-220T, N5359J, Port Huron, MI, July 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2003, 13:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Port Huron, MI - Coordinates: 42.910831, -82.528892 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9108&lon=-82.5289&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Detroit-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57795 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA279 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57795/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA279 ## Probable cause The pilot misjudging the flare during landing, and his inadequate remedial action resulting in the inadvertent porpoise of the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - soft ## Analysis The airplane was damaged during a hard landing on runway 28. The pilot reported that the landing approach was normal. He reported that at touchdown on the main landing gear, wind gusts changed and caused the airplane to bounce off of the nose gear. The pilot attempted to settle the airplane back on the main gear, but it bounced higher and continued bouncing at least three more times veering to the left and in the grass. The weather reporting station located at the accident airport recorded the wind as 330 degrees at 6 knots. No gusts were recorded. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2003, about 1305 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-220T, N5359J, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing on runway 28 (4,001 feet by 75 feet, asphalt), at the St. Clair County International Airport (PHN), near Port Huron, Michigan. The 14 CFR part 91 business flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Flying Cloud Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, at 0915. In a written statement, the pilot stated that he made a normal left-downwind approach for runway 28 at PHN. He indicated that all airspeeds on downwind, base, and final were normal. At touchdown of the main landing gear, wind gusts changed and caused the airplane to bounce off of the nose gear. The pilot attempted to settle the airplane back on the main gear, but it bounced higher and continued bouncing at least three more times veering to the left and in the grass. The airplane then continued to roll back to runway 28 and eventually came to a stop at the run-up area of runway 10. The recorded weather at PHN at 1316 was: Winds: 330 degrees at 6 knots Visibility: 10 statue miles Sky condition: clear Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius Dew Point: 16 degrees Celsius Altimeter: 30.06 inches of mercury The pilot reported having autopilot altitude hold problems during the en route portion of the flight. However, he reported no anomalies with the primary flight controls. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5359J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5359J), registered now, S/N 3449267, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-34-220T - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-220T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-220t) (registry code 7103420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3449267 - Airframe hours: 170 - Engines: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-RB 220 horsepower reciprocating; Teledyne Continental LTSIO-360-RB 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: A & K Equipment Co., Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2002, 170 hours before - Departed: FCM, MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Destination: PHN, PORT HURON, MI - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: PHN, St Clair County Intl, runway 28, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 14, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 976 total, 280 in this make and model, 750 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: PHN, 1 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 20030716018829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030716018829A), Jul 16, 2003: Piper PA34220T, Port Huron, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft landed hard on the runway at phn and bounced a number of times hitting both props and tail on runway. Landing gear did not collapse. 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.