- Date
- August 19, 2010, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Oakland, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N348TFPiper PA-28-181
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100819041529A
- Case key
- 77084
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was established on final approach, with wind reported from 310 degrees at 5 knots. He reduced the power to maintain a 500 foot-per-minute (fpm) descent rate. As the airplane slowed to 110 knots, the pilot lowered one notch of flaps. He realized that he was high on the approach, so he lowered the nose and increased the descent rate to 700 fpm. He then lowered two more notches of flaps, and the airplane continued to slow down. Over the runway threshold, the pilot began to flare and heard the stall warning horn. He misjudged his height above the runway and did not add power in the flare as the stall warning continued. He flared about 15 feet above the runway, the airplane landed hard, and the initial touchdown forced the main gears up through the wings. The airplane then bounced twice and skidded off the left side of the runway and down an embankment; the left wing and the landing gear separated during the event. The pilot reported that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was established on final approach to runway 27, with winds reported from 310 degrees true at 5 knots. He reduced power to maintain a 500 fpm descent rate. As the airplane slowed to 110 knots, the pilot lowered one notch of flaps. He realized he was high on approach, so he lowered the nose and increased the descent rate to 700 fpm. He then lowered two more notches of flaps, and the airplane continued to slow down. Over the runway threshold, the pilot began to flare and heard the stall warning horn. He misjudged his height above the runway and did not add power in the flare as the stall warning continued. He flared about 15 feet above the runway, the airplane landed hard, and the initial touchdown "...forced the main gears up through the wings..." The airplane then bounced twice and skidded off the left side of the runway and down an embankment. An FAA inspector reported that the left wing and the landing gear broke off during the event. The pilot reported that there were no pre-existing mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N348TF
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7790598
- Airframe hours
- 4,100
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wasser Nathan H
- Registered owner
- Wasser Nathan H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2010
- Departed
- CBE · Cumberland, MD
- Destination
- 2G4 · Oakland, MD
- Airport
- 2G4 · Garrett County Airport, runway 27, 5,000 × 75 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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 26, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 495 total · 375 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- 2G4
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 877 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N348TF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.