# NTSB ERA21LA210: Piper PA-28-180, N32592, Friendly, MD, April 28, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 28, 2021, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Friendly, MD · On airport - Coordinates: 38.748642, -76.955922 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7486&lon=-76.9559&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 103040 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA210 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103040/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103040 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA210 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point on landing, which resulted in a collision with the runway lip. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/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-28-180, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/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: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he had a higher-than-normal sink rate on final approach. The airplane landed short, and the left main landing gear struck the lip of the runway. The airplane bounced, then settled back on the runway, and the left wing dropped. The airplane veered off the runway into the grass and the left landing gear fully collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot said that he was carrying two passengers and did not consider the extra weight in the airplane, and that he should have added power sooner to arrest the sink rate. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N32592](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32592), registered now, S/N 28-7505075, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7505075 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 5657.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: 5Niner2Aviation - Registered owner: 5Niner2Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 8, 2020 - Departed: EXF, Fredricksburg, VA - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: VKX, Potomac Airfield, runway 06/24, 2,665 × 40 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 15, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 458 total, 35 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: KADW, 6 nm away - METAR: KADW 281956Z AUTO 24007KT 10SM FEW200 29/12 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP109 T02940123 FZRANO ## 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 20210428005419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210428005419A), Apr 28, 2021: Piper PA-28-180, Fort Washington, MD, Substantial damage. On 4/28/2021 at approximately 2020 gmt a PA-28-180, N32592, landed short of runway 24 at Potomac Airfield in Fort Washington Maryland. The aircrafts left main… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 24, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103040. 8.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 7.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434081&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB summary of email - FAA and pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434023&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Summary%20of%20Email%20-%20Pilot%20and%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 373 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434091&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.