# NTSB LAX04CA063: Piper PA-28R-200, N1451T, Morenci, AZ, December 3, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 3, 2003, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Morenci, AZ - Coordinates: 33.346668, -109.491668 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3467&lon=-109.4917&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58460 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04CA063 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58460/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA063 ## Probable cause the pilot's excessive landing flare, which resulted in an improper touchdown and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - excessive, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - touchdown - improper, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis The single engine airplane landed hard on the dirt airstrip during the pilot's short-field landing attempt. An inspection of the airplane revealed that the aft bulkhead, in front of the tail cone, had a dent with an approximant diameter of 1.5 inches, and that the tail tie down attachment had been bent and pushed upward. The pilot said that during the flare, he configured the airplane in an excessive nose-up attitude in efforts to use as little runway as possible. The pilot believed that the tail tie down attachment contacted the ground during the touchdown. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported. ## Factual narrative On December 3, 2003, at 1000 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28R-200 single engine airplane, N1451T, made a hard landing at Double O Ranch, a private dirt airstrip near Morenci, Arizona. The pilot was operating the borrowed airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI), the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona about 0800. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that during the flare on a short-field landing attempt, he configured the airplane in an excessive nose-up attitude in an effort to use as little runway as possible. The landing was hard but he did not think that the airplane sustained damage. A few hours later, the pilot returned to the airplane with the intention to depart to Tucson International. While performing a preflight inspection, he noticed damage to the left stabilator tip and a leak in the left tire. A mechanic repaired the stabilator and tire, and did not find any other damage to the airplane at that time. A few days later, the same mechanic inspected the airplane further by removing the tail cone. He discovered that the aft bulkhead, in front of the tail cone, had a dent with an approximant diameter of 1.5 inches. He found that the tail tie down attachment had been bent and pushed upward resulting in damage to the bulkhead. The pilot believed that the tail tie down attachment made contact with the dirt airstrip during landing. He noted there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1451T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1451T-2013-07-26), registration cancelled 2013-07-26, S/N 28R-7235293, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28R-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-723593 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 Series reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Peter Harper - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: TUS, Tucson, AZ - Destination: Morenci, AZ - Airport: 0, Double O Ranch ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 1,629 total, 338 in this make and model, 94 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20031203036499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031203036499A), Dec 3, 2003: Piper PA28R200, Morenci, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot was attempting a soft field landing on a Private dirt strip. The aircraft landed hard causing substantial damage to the aircraft. 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.