# NTSB MIA97LA131: Piper PA-34-200, N2HS, Stuart, FL, April 9, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 9, 1997, 14:33 local (18:33 UTC)
- Place: Stuart, FL
- Coordinates: 27.18946, -80.24057 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.1895&lon=-80.2406&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38257
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA131
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38257/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA131

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing. Factors were the crosswind and his improper level off.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - level off - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

The pilot stated he was landing with a gusty quartering crosswind. He maintained a higher speed to compensate for the gusts, touched down, bounced and the nose gear collided with the runway. Review of weather conditions revealed no recorded record of turbulence, downdrafts, gusts, or windshear.

## Factual narrative

On April 9, 1997, about 1433 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34, N2HS, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, landed hard at Witham Field, Stuart, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Rock Hill, South Carolina, about 2 hours 48 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he was landing with a gusting, quartering crosswind to runway 07. He maintained a higher approach speed to compensate for the gusts. The airplane touched down, bounced and collided with the runway on the nose gear

Review of weather information for the time period of the accident revealed no recorded record of turbulence, downdrafts, gusts, or windshear.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2HS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2HS), registered now, S/N 34-8070022, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-34-200
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-8070022
- Airframe hours: 3236
- Engines: Continental TSIO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Herbert Spaugh Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 18, 1996, 72 hours before
- Departed: 29J, ROCK HILL, SC
- Destination: SUA
- Airport: SUA, Stuart-Whitman Field, runway 7, 5,000 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 15,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 40° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: MCO, 120 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19970409046169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970409046169A), Apr 9, 1997: Piper PA34200T, Stuart, FL, No damage. (-23) Pilot attempted landing with aircraft out of c/g causing it to make 3-4 had touchdowns on the main landing first then on the nose gear. After the final…

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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