- Date
- May 7, 2017, 11:55 local (15:55 UTC)
- Place
- Frankfort, KY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33006Piper PA28R
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170507008719A
- Case key
- 95124
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 improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 5
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
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, it felt like "[something] pushed [the airplane] real hard from behind." He added that he applied power, but the airplane continued in a rapid descent. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and veered to the left upon the second touchdown. The pilot added full power and right rudder to recover, but the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a small hill. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 310° at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The airplane landed on runway 25.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare, it felt like "[something] pushed [the airplane] real hard from behind". He added that he applied power, but the airplane continued in a rapid descent. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and veered to the left upon the second touchdown. The pilot added full power and right rudder to recover, but the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a small hill. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that about the time of the accident the wind was 310° at 12 knots, gusting 19 knots. The airplane landed on runway 25.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33006
- Reported as
- Piper PA28R (200)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7535105
- Built
- 1975
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 22, 2016
- Departed
- EKX · Elizabethtown, KY
- Destination
- FFT · Frankfort, KY
- Airport
- FFT · Capital City, runway 25, 5,506 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2016
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 282 total · 50 in this make and model · 194 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KFFT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 12, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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 N33006 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.