GAA17CA334

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA28R · Geneva, OH · June 9, 2017

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 9, 2017, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
Place
Geneva, OH
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N32088Piper PA28R
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 22, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20170609009289A
Case key
95356

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare in variable wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane landing on the left edge of the runway and impacting trees.

Findings · 4

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.

Performance/control parameters: landing flareAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28R-200: 11 casesAll aircraft: 1,285 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-28R-200: 29 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: sudden wind shiftEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationPiper PA-28R-200: 1 caseAll aircraft: 114 cases
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomePiper PA-28R-200: 4 casesAll aircraft: 933 cases

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 of the airplane reported that, during landing, she added full flaps, and the wind shifted. She applied full power, but the airplane settled, and the left main landing gear touched down on the left edge of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees on the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable and that she landed on runway 19. The automated weather observation system about 9 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 7 knots. Additional weather observations from the same site showed that, from 1 hour before the accident until 1 hour after the accident, the wind direction varied from south-southwest to west-northwest, and the speed varied from 6 to 8 knots.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the airplane reported that during landing, she added full flaps, and the wind shifted. She applied full power, but the airplane settled, and the left main landing gear touched down on the left edge of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees on the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind was light and variable and that she landed on runway 19. The automated weather observation system about 9 nautical miles from the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 7 knots. Additional weather observations from the same site showed that, from one hour before the accident until one hour after the accident, the wind direction varied from south-southwest to west-northwest, and the speed varied from 6 to 8 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N32088
Reported as
Piper PA28R (200)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R-7535023
Built
1974
Airframe hours
4,874.44
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 7, 2016
Departed
7D9 · Geneva, OH
Destination
7D9 · Geneva, OH
Airport
7D9 · Germack, runway 19, 3,260 × 28 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, Handheld GPS

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
65
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
August 23, 2015
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,494 total · 538 in this make and model · 9.1 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
68 °F, dew point 52 °F
Altimeter
29.87 inHg
Observed at
KHZY, 9 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.