# NTSB FTW04LA135: Piper PA-28-181, N21131, Many, LA, May 7, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2004, 18:10 local (23:10 UTC) - Place: Many, LA - Coordinates: 31.544445, -93.486663 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5444&lon=-93.4867&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59287 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04LA135 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59287/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA135 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper touchdown which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command - touchdown - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing ## Analysis During a cross country flight, the 287-hour private pilot became lost and then experienced a hard landing at an alternate airport. According to an air traffic controller, the pilot became lost and radioed for assistance. The controller directed the pilot to an alternate airport. The pilot stated he "found [the] airport and made a bad landing." ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2004, at 1810 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181 single-engine airplane, N21131, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Hart Airport, near Many, Louisiana. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed St. Elmo Airport, near St. Elmo, Alabama, approximately 1100, and was destined for Santa Monica, California. According to an air traffic controller with Fort Polk Army Airfield, near Folk Polk, Louisiana, the pilot became lost and radioed for assistance on a very high frequency (VHF) frequency. The controller contacted the pilot, and the pilot reported, "I'm low on fuel and somewhat lost in the Polk area." The controller directed the pilot to Hart Airport, informed him of the current wind information, and positioned the pilot to a left base to runway 12. The pilot responded, "I hope I'm doing this right." The controller lost radio and radar contact with the pilot, and then attempted to contact the pilot via another aircraft. Shortly thereafter, the controller noticed the accident airplane on radar, south of Hart Airport, and it appeared to be setting up for a landing to runway 30. The wind at the time of the accident would have given the pilot a 10 knot tailwind on runway 30. At 1810, another aircraft informed the controller the accident airplane was damaged during the landing, and the pilot was not injured. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 287-hour pilot stated on the flight from Alabama to California, he "lost [the] VOR's (VHF Omnidirectional Range)." The pilot requested assistance from air traffic control and was subsequently directed to the Hart Airport. The pilot added that he "found [the] airport and made a bad landing." According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who responded to the accident site, the nose landing gear was separated, the nose gear strut was broken, and the engine firewall was buckled. The accident was reported to the National Transportation Safety Board on May 24, 2004, about 2 weeks after the mishap occured. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21131](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21131), registered now, S/N 28-7990035, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (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: 28-7990035 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dana B. Wood - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 2R5, St. Elmo, AL - Destination: SMO, Santa Monica, CA - Airport: Hart, runway 30, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 19, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 287 total, 270 in this make and model, 264 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20040507009369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040507009369A), May 7, 2004: Piper PA28181, Many, LA, Substantial damage. (-23) At 1800 the pilot of N21131 made a hard, down wind landing. This resulted in the aircraft touching down approximately 620 feet from the end of runway 30.… 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.