- Date
- May 21, 2018, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Farmingdale, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5560WPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180521005719A
- Case key
- 97297
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 exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during short final, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and hard landing.
Findings · 3
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, on short final, the airspeed was about 65 to 70 knots with full flaps, and he observed the two precision approach path lights indicating two white lights. The left wing dropped, and he did not hear the stall warning horn. The left main landing gear touched down hard, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The pilot reported that the airplane hit an "air pocket" and crashed. A witness, located on the ramp, observed the airplane head-on coming in very low and slow. He saw the airplane aerodynamically stall, and the right wing drop. The right wing impacted the ground, followed by the right main landing gear and then the nose landing gear. The landing gear assemblies separated from the airplane, which skidded to an abrupt halt. 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.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, on short final, the airspeed was about 65 to 70 knots with full flaps, and he observed the 2 light precision approach path lights indicating 2 white lights. The left wing dropped, and he did not hear the stall warning horn. The left main landing gear touched down hard, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The pilot reported that the airplane hit an "air pocket" and crashed. A witness, located on the ramp, observed the accident airplane head-on coming in very low and slow. He saw the airplane aerodynamically stall and the right wing dropped. The right wing impacted the ground, followed by the right landing gear and then the nose landing gear. The landing gear assemblies separated from the airplane which skidded to an abrupt halt. 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 did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5560W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-653
- Built
- 1962
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- FRG · Farmingdale, NY
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- FRG · Republic, runway 19, 5,516 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KFRG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.