# NTSB MIA90LA045: Piper PA-34-200, N831SR, Sarasota, FL, December 28, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 28, 1989, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place: Sarasota, FL
- Location: 27.3954° N, 82.5544° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SARASOTA/BRADENTON INTL (SRQ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.3954&lon=-82.5544&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 22, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32610
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90LA045
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32610/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90LA045

## Probable cause

EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED FOR LANDING AND IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE; AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PLT WAS INITIALLY CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 32, BUT HIS CLEARANCE WAS CHANGED TO RWY 22. ALSO, THE PLT WAS ASKED TO KEEP HIS SPEED UP.  HE STATED THAT AT 200 FT, HIS AIRSPEED WAS INDICATING 89 KTS & HE ELECTED TO LAND LONG. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT BEGAN PORPOISING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR & PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE ACFT TO THE FBO.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N831SR (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-7770416
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-360-E 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Hietfield, Richard V.
- Registered owner: Unknown
- Departed: SAV, SAVANNAH, GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: SRQ, Sarasota-Bradenton, runway 22, 5,004 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 387 total, 110 in this make and model, 229 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: SRQ

## 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 19891228057229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891228057229A), Dec 28, 1989: Piper PA34200, Sarasota - Brad, FL, Substantial damage. Told to keep speed up,landed fast and porpoised, damaging props and nose gear.

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.

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