- Date
- April 7, 1985, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Huron, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2135APiper PA-32RT-300T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850407010899A
- Case key
- 13038
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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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.
Analysis
After a practice instrument apch, the plt (PIC) entered the traffic pattern to land on rwy 23. While in the pattern, theair became very turbulent. UNICOM reported the wind was from 270 deg at 20 gusting 35 KTS. On final apch with the flaps fully extended, the plt initiated a go-around at aprx 50 ft AGL & applied power to 36' manifold pressure. He stated thatthe airspeed was aprx 110 KTS when the acft encountered a severe vertical downwind shear, struck the ground aprx 10 ft west of the rwy, & hit a rwy light. Two witnesses noted that the acft appeared so slow on final apch that they went to the UNICOM to advise that 'the winds were now 290 deg at 25 gusting to 35.' They said power was applied & the acft pitched nose down. Also, a witness reported 'heavy' wx aprx 10 to 15 mi west of the arpt, moving east, & rain began shortly after the accident. The flt manual noted: when power is advanced for a go-around from a low power, full flap approach, a nose down pitch will occur which must be countered with aft control input.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2135A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300T (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7987009
- Airframe hours
- 540
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Turner Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DET · Detroit, MI
- Airport
- PHN · St. Clair County, runway 23, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 890 total · 114 in this make and model · 597 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MTC, 22 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.