- Date
- April 7, 1996, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bellville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6882PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960407006209A
- Case key
- 19799
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 excessive approach/landing airspeed and his failure to perform a go-around.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a previous attempted landing, the pilot executed a go-around due to a high approach/landing airspeed. During the second landing, the aircraft touched down about halfway down the 2,480-foot runway with no flaps extended and overran the runway. The pilot reported that during his second approach, he landed 'to fast, but thought [he] had adequate stopping distance.' He 'cut power, applied full brakes, [and] skidded off [the] south end of [the] runway into a fence.' The aircraft came to a stop off the departure end of the runway down a 5-foot embankment.
Factual narrative
On April 7, 1996, at 1700 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6882P, registered to and operated by a private owner as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during landing at Grawunder Airport, Bellville, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Houston, Texas, about 30 minutes before the accident.
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that, during his first attempted landing to runway 15, he did a go-around due to being too fast. During the second attempted landing, the aircraft touched down about halfway down the 2,480 foot runway with no flaps extended. The pilot further reported that he was unable to stop the aircraft prior to overrunning the runway.
The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Report that, during his second approach, he landed "to fast, but thought [he] had adequate stopping distance." The pilot "cut power, applied full brakes, [and] skidded off [the] south end of [the] runway into a fence."
Examination of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed three tire marks leading to the point where the aircraft departed the runway. The aircraft came to a stop off the right end of the runway down a five foot embankment.
Examination of the airplane revealed all three landing gear were folded under, the left wing spar was fractured, and the lower portion of the firewall and left horizontal stabilizer were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6882P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2018
- Airframe hours
- 3,867
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1D5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles W. Spruell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1996 · 94 hours before
- Departed
- AAP · Houston, TX
- Destination
- 06R
- Airport
- 06R · Grawunder, runway 15, 2,480 × 30 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,125 total · 25 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.