- Date
- May 1, 1998, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Jackson, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8536PPiper PA-24-400
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980501015309A
- Case key
- 20590
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 misjudgment of distance and speed, while approaching to land; his failure to attain a proper touchdown point for landing; and his failure to go around, while there was sufficient runway remaining. A related factor was the uneven terrain, which was encountered beyond the end of the runway.
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
The pilot said he was 'breaking in a new engine' and he did not reduce power fast enough. The airplane landed long on runway 18, which was 6,299 x 150 feet, asphalt, porous friction course overlay. He said he realized he was not going to be able to stop the airplane on the runway that remained, and also realized he did not have sufficient speed to abort the landing. Heavy braking caused the left tire to blow out, and the airplane departed the end of the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed when the airplane traversed a large dip at the end of the runway, and the airplane slid to a halt approximately 100 feet beyond. Airport officials reported finding 1,400 feet of skid marks. A light and variable wind was reported at the time of the accident. The pilot attributed the accident to his error in judgment. His recommendation: 'Always land near the threshold, leaving as much runway as possible. Pretty basic.'
Factual narrative
On May 1, 1998, approximately 1030 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-400, N8536P, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Jackson, Wyoming. The private pilot and commercial-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Provo, Utah, approximately 0900.
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane from the passenger that was in the airplane. In his accident report, the pilot indicated he was "breaking in a new engine" and he did not reduce power fast enough. The airplane landed long on runway 18 (6,299 ft. x 150 ft., asphalt, porous friction course overlay). The pilot said he realized he was not going to be able to stop the airplane on the runway that remained, and also realized he did not have sufficient speed to abort the landing. Heavy braking caused the left tire to blow out, and the airplane departed the end of the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed when the airplane traversed a large dip at the end of the runway, and the airplane slid to a halt approximately 100 feet beyond. Airport officials reported finding 1,400 feet of skid marks.
The pilot attributed the accident to "poor judgment" and his error. His recommendation: "Always land near the threshold, leaving as much runway as possible. Pretty basic."
Later examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed a wrinkled and dented left wing, a torn left flap, damaged elevator and both wing tips, two main tires blown out, and a collapsed landing gear.
A light and variable wind was reported at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8536P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-400
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26-117
- Airframe hours
- 2,986
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-720-A1A, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark Sheranian
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 23, 1998 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- PVU · Provo, UT
- Destination
- JAC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- JAC · Jackson Hole, runway 18, 6,299 × 150 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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 275 total · 35 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.