MIA01LA137

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-34-200 · Venice, FL · April 27, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 27, 2001, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC)
Place
Venice, FL
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N876BBPiper PA-34-200
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 27, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20010427015159A
Case key
52173

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 failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point resulting in a long landing and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. Also, failure of the pilot to perform a go-around following a long landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Main gear collapsedLanding - roll
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Go-around - not performedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot stated that the airplane touched down at 80 knots on runway 31 just south of the intersection of runway 04/22, and the brakes were not effective when he initially applied them. He pumped the brakes with no effect for several pumping actions; they then became effective. He then applied the brakes heavily but the airplane rolled off the end of runway 31, collapsing the right main landing gear. He also stated that the airplane was too far down the runway to consider performing a go-around, and there were no discrepancies with the brakes or parking brake while taxiing or during the engine run-up before takeoff, respectively. Postaccident examination of the runway by an FAA inspector revealed approximately 250 feet of skid marks from both main landing gear tires at the departure end of the runway. The skid marks continued for an additional 50 feet off the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear tire had a flat spot, and the right main landing gear tire was blown and flat spotted.

Factual narrative

On April 27, 2001, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N876BB, registered to and operated by Manray Express Freight Systems, Inc., experienced collapse of the right main landing gear during the landing roll at the Venice Municipal Airport, Venice, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the private-rated pilot or two passengers. The flight originated about 1 hour earlier from the Opa-Locka Airport, Opa-Locka, Florida.

The pilot stated that the airplane touched down at 80 knots on runway 31 just south of the intersection of runway 04/22, and the brakes were not effective when he initially applied them. He pumped the brakes with no effect for several pumping actions; they then became effective. He then applied the brakes heavily but the airplane rolled off the end of runway 31, collapsing the right main landing gear. He also stated that the airplane was too far down the runway to consider performing a go-around, and there were no discrepancies with the brakes or parking brake while taxiing or during the engine run-up before takeoff, respectively.

Postaccident examination of the runway by an FAA inspector revealed approximately 250 feet of skid marks from both main landing gear tires at the departure end of the runway. The skid marks continued for an additional 50 feet off the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear tire had a flat spot, and the right main landing gear tire was blown and flat spotted. A copy of the FAA inspector statement is an attachment to this report.

Aircraft

Registration
N876BB
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200
Category
Airplane
Serial number
34-7350248
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Robert E. Hammer
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
KOPF · Opa-Locka, FL
Destination
KVNC · Venice, FL
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
VNC · Venice Municipal, runway 31, 4,999 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
39
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
August 17, 1999
Seat
Left
Flight hours
800 total · 80 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
60° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
30.05 inHg
Observed at
KSRQ, 20 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.