# NTSB FTW98LA106: Piper PA-32RT-300, N376AA, Taos, NM, January 24, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 24, 1998, 13:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Taos, NM - Coordinates: 36.599422, -105.4505 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5994&lon=-105.4505&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 26, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20521 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA106 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20521/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA106 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis During a landing at the termination of a cross-country flight, the aircraft was landed hard, and it bounced four times. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft departed the runway and came to rest off the departure end of the runway of intended landing. ## Factual narrative On January 24, 1998, at 1315 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N376AA, operated by Flight Training Center, Watkins, Colorado, sustained substantial damage to the right wing and tail cone during landing at Taos, New Mexico. The private pilot and his 5 passengers were not injured and a VFR flight plan was filed for this personal flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, with an en route passenger stop at Fort Collins, Colorado, Visual Meteorological conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he conducted a visual approach to runway 22 with the wind reported by UNICOM to be from 220 degrees magnetic at 3 to 6 knots. (The AWOS reported wind was from 290 degrees at 4 knots). The pilot said he used 90 knots as his approach speed and the aircraft ballooned in the flare and appeared to him to veer to the left with the nose pitching up. The pilot reported he considered a "go around" but decided against it due to low speed and power. The pilot stated he "felt something was wrong with the right landing gear" so he cut power and "rode out" the landing using left rudder and aileron to control direction and keep the right wing level. He said the airplane went off the side of the runway and came to a stop in the dirt. He said he cut the "mixture, fuel, and master," and he and his passengers exited the aircraft. According to the attached report by the FAA Inspector who went on scene, a witness, and the witness marks on the runway, the approach was to runway 4. The witness said the aircraft landed hard and went off the left side of the runway and bounced four times before the right main landing gear failed. The witness marks provided evidence the aircraft came to rest 20 feet beyond the departure end of runway 4 and the aircraft provided evidence the right main landing gear failed in the aft direction. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N376AA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N376AA), registered now, S/N 32R-7885094 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32RT-300 (PA-32RT-30) - 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: 7885094 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Flight Training Center - Registered owner: Peter Carlson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: FNL, FORT COLLINS, CO - Destination: SKX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SKX, Taos, runway 4, 5,798 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 310 total, 4 in this make and model, 240 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SKX, 1 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 19980124000569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980124000569A), Jan 24, 1998: Piper PA32RT300, Taos, NM, Substantial damage. Landed downwind. Went off side runway near end unable stop. Had bounced and porpoised folding right main gear. (-23) aircraft rented front range airport.… 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.