- Date
- November 11, 2016, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Payallup, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9466KPiper PA 28R
- Defining event
- Approach: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161111021319A
- Case key
- 94391
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 airport’s failure to issue a NOTAM regarding the deployment of the traffic monitoring camera system before the accident, which resulted in the airplane striking the camera system during a short-field approach and landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot under examination, he was to accomplish a short-field landing to the runway 17 numbers during his single-engine airplane flight instructor practical examination. He reported that, during the transition from final to the flare, the bottom of the fuselage struck an aircraft traffic monitoring camera system. The camera system was located about 125 ft north of the runway 17 threshold and was about 8 inches high. After striking the camera, the pilot added power and landed the airplane on the runway 17 numbers. There were no NOTAMs regarding the use of the aircraft traffic monitoring camera system issued at the time of the accident. However, the next day, the airport manager issued a NOTAM regarding the deployment of the camera system. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot under examination, he was to accomplish a short field landing to the runway 17 numbers, during his single engine airplane flight instructor practical examination. He reported that during the transition from final to the flare, the bottom of the fuselage struck an aircraft traffic monitoring camera system. The camera system was located about 125 ft. north of the runway 17 threshold, and stood about 8 inches in height. After striking the camera, the pilot added power and landed the airplane on the runway 17 numbers. There were no NOTAM's regarding the use of the aircraft traffic monitoring system issued at the time of the accident. However, the next day a NOTAM regarding the deployment of the camera system was issued by the airport manager. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9466K
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28R (200)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7635244
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 8,457.9
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Spanaflight LLC
- Registered owner
- Spanaflight LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 4, 2016
- Departed
- KPLU · Puyallup, WA
- Destination
- KPLU · Puyallup, WA
- Airport
- PLU · Pierce County - Thun Field, runway 17, 3,650 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 9, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 470 total · 37 in this make and model · 427 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- PLU
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9466K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.