# NTSB ERA21LA153: Piper PA-32RT-300, N94GF, Brevard, NC, March 7, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 7, 2021, 12:58 local (17:58 UTC) - Place: Brevard, NC - Coordinates: 35.270278, -82.644167 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2703&lon=-82.6442&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: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102749 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102749/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102749 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA153 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, overstress fracture of components of the left main landing gear, and subsequent runway excursion. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103215), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7103215), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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-32RT-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7103215), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7103215), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that prior to landing he obtained the automated weather report from a nearby airport and continued to the destination where he overflew the airport and entered the traffic pattern for landing. He noted the direction of the windsocks and that they favored the selected runway, and he continued his approach. He turned onto the base and final legs of the airport traffic pattern, and while on final approach maintained 85 knots with the flaps fully extended and the landing gear down and locked. The pilot-rated passenger described the landing as, “harder than normal” while the pilot described it as being, “moderate to hard.” After brake application the airplane veered to the left, which the pilot attributed to be from a “soft” right brake. The airplane went off the left side of the runway and yawed 180° coming to rest upright. The pilot also stated that he thought the wind may have shifted to a tailwind on landing. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the outboard portion of the airplane’s right wing was substantially damaged during the accident. The left wing immediately above the left main landing gear was also damaged and displayed signatures consistent with the landing gear strut being forced upward through the wing skin. Additionally, the left main landing gear strut had separated from the trunnion fitting assembly. The strut showed deep scratches and gouges consistent with being driven upward through the wing’s skin after it separated from the trunnion. No evidence of pre-existing cracking or fractures was noted on the trunnion assembly. The FAA inspector also examined the airplane’s brakes and noted no resistance when actuating the pedals from the left seat. Despite this finding, it is most likely that the airplane’s left main landing gear was displaced from its normal orientation during the hard landing, which resulted in the runway excursion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N94GF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94GF-2022-07-02), registration cancelled 2022-07-02, S/N 32R-7885115, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32RT-300 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Piper PA-32RT-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300) (registry code 7103215) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R-7885115 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 3734.5 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 17, 2020 - Departed: LYH, Lynchburg, VA - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 3NR3, Transylvania Community, runway 09, 2,903 × 50 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 12, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 554 total, 327 in this make and model, 435 as pilot in command - Pilot-rated passenger; age 71; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 10, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,532 total, 230 in this make and model, 1,450 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 315° at 3 knots, gusting 5 - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 51 °F, dew point 22 °F - Altimeter: 30.71 inHg - Observed at: KNCPENRO8, 2 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 20210307009109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210307009109A), Mar 7, 2021: Piper PA-32RT-300, Brevard, NC, Substantial damage. Description : accident PA-32 hard landing (3NR3) Transylvania Community Airport Sas: EA68202102045 Investigation: A private pilot was attempting to make a… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102749. 6.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12186651&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Recd%204%209%202021_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of NTSB conversations (item 2, PDF, 9 pages, 160 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12194315&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20NTSB%20Conversations_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12187551&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement_N94GF%20Observations_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather reports and records (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 545 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12193964&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wx%20Reports%20and%20Records-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 5 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12194243&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs_ERA21LA153-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 610 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12188260&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Executed%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_ERA21LA153_Redacted-Rel.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.