# NTSB ERA22LA253: Piper PA28, N2973K, Simsbury, CT, May 31, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 31, 2022, 19:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: Simsbury, CT - Coordinates: 41.912547, -72.778297 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9125&lon=-72.7783&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 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): 105166 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA253 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105166/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105166 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA253 ## Probable cause The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing, which resulted in a runway overrun. ## 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-28-161, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a cross country flight and at the destination airport entered the right downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, then turned onto right base leg of the airport traffic pattern. Because of “excessive wind gusts” on final approach he performed a go-around and remained in the traffic pattern for the same runway. On final approach the flight again encountered a wind gust and the airplane descended. He added power to arrest the descent but the airplane then floated down the runway. The airplane touched down just prior to a taxiway, with about 959 ft of runway available. He applied the brakes but realized he would be unable to stop before the runway end. He applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane did not climb as he expected and it travelled off the end of the runway into a farm field. He did not recall if he applied the brakes or reduced power in an attempt to abort the aborted landing. The airplane impacted a metal frame that enclosed plants and came to rest with the nose landing gear collapsed. The engine mount was substantially damaged. He reported that when he added full power to go-around the engine responded, the airplane was decelerating with initial brake application, and there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane that resulted in the runway excursion. Postaccident examination revealed the flap selector was in the retracted position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2973K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2973K), registered now, S/N 28-8016007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28 (161) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-8016007 - Year built: 1979 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 Series 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 23, 2021 - Departed: FRG, Farmingdale, NY - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 4B9, Simsbury Airport, runway 21, 2,205 × 50 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 14, 2020; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 230 total, 200 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KBDL, 5 nm away - METAR: KBDL 312351Z 18012KT 10SM FEW080 BKN100 BKN250 26/17 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP125 T02560172 10339 20256 53010 ## 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 20220531009199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220531009199A), May 31, 2022: Piper PA-28-161, Simsbury, CT, Substantial damage. On may 31, 2022 at approximately 1930 EST, civil aircraft [privacy data omitted], a Piper aircraft model PA-28-161, serial number 28-8016007 was involved in an… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105166. 15.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 9.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14153430&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 127 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14156103&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Record%20of%20Convo%20w%20Dr%20Gordon%20B%20John%206%202%202022%20v03%20w%20Corrctns_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 5 photos, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14154533&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14152899&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Executed%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_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.