# NTSB FTW99LA118: Piper PA-28-140, N32458, Cleburne, TX, April 19, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 19, 1999, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Cleburne, TX - Coordinates: 32.349296, -97.330841 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3493&lon=-97.3308&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 7, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46115 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW99LA118 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46115/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA118 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures 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/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The private pilot failed to maintain a proper rate of descent during final approach which resulted in a hard landing. A witness located at the approach end of the runway stated that the accident airplane came in 'hot and fast, hit the nose first and bounced up, nosed over and impacted the nose again' resulting in the nose landing gear separating. The pilot stated that his approach was 'perfect'; however, as the airplane got closer to the runway, its sink rate increased. The pilot stated that the airplane would not respond to his control inputs to try and stop the descent. Flight control continuity was confirmed by the FAA inspector subsequent to the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 19, 1999, at 1800 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N32458, was substantially damaged following a hard landing on runway 15 at the Cleburne Municipal Airport near Cleburne, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight which originated from Hicks Airport near Quinlan, Texas, at 1730. The aircraft was owned by a private individual and operated by Split-S Aviation of Fort Worth, Texas. According to a pilot rated witness, located on the approach end of runway 15, the accident airplane "came in hot and fast, hit the nose first and bounced up then nosed over again and impacted again [on the] nose." The witness added that the nose wheel separated and the airplane slid 100 feet down the runway, where it came to rest upright. During telephone interviews conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he had "made a perfect approach;" however, when he got closer to the ground the airplane had "produced a very high sink rate." The pilot stated that the airplane would not respond to his control inputs to try and stop the descent. The airplane impacted the runway, bounced once, impacted the runway a second time, and came to a stop. At 1555, the weather observation facility at Carswell Airport (located 28 miles north of the accident site) reported the wind from 190 degrees at 18 knots. At 1553, the weather observation facility at Arlington Airport (located 30 miles northeast of the accident site) reported the wind from 230 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 180 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots. The pilot had accumulated 190 total flight hours, of which 40 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot was endorsed for his biennial flight review the day of the accident. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the nose gear had separated, and the engine mounts and firewall were buckled. Additionally, he confirmed flight control continuity subsequent to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N32458](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32458-2022-01-08), registration cancelled 2022-01-08, S/N 28-7525070, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7525070 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Split-S Aviation, doing business as Split-S Aviation - Registered owner: Tony F. Hodge - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: T67, QUINLAN, TX - Destination: F18, TX - Airport: F18, Cleburne Municipal, runway 15, 5,700 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 190 total, 40 in this make and model, 141 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 18 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: NFW, 28 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 19990419003749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990419003749A), Apr 19, 1999: Piper PA28140, Cleburne, TX, Substantial damage. Acft landed hard and sustained substantial damage. (-23)on April 19, 1999, at approximately 1800 CDT, a Piper PA-28-140, N32458, received substantial damage… ## Other investigations on N32458 (1) 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. - [NTSB CEN21LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA035), Oct 26, 2020: Piper PA28 (N32458), Crystal Beach, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. 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.