- Date
- September 16, 1998, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Centre, AL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7003PPiper PA-24
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980916024949A
- Case key
- 44027
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point and his delay in initiating a go-around during a high and fast approach. A factor was the ditch.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern but did not see the wind sock. He entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 27, and while on final approach, the airplane was high and fast. At the point he decided to go-around, he thought the airplane would be unable to clear trees ahead. He continued the approach and the airplane was landed about two-thirds down the 3,401 foot long runway. Unable to stop the airplane, it rolled off the end of the runway and collided with a ditch during which the left main landing gear collapsed. A weather observation taken about 25 minutes after the accident from an airport located 25 nautical miles and 240 degrees from the accident airport revealed in part that the wind was from 150 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot further reported that post accident he observed the wind sock and it was operational.
Factual narrative
On September 16, 1998, about 1630 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24, N7003P, registered to Delta Romeo Corporation, collided with terrain while landing at the Centre Municipal Airport, Centre, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed but not activated for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, pilot-rated right front seat passenger, and one rear seat passenger were not injured. The flight originated about 1700 eastern daylight time from the Fulton County Airport-Brown Field, Atlanta, Georgia.
The pilot stated that he overflew the airport but did not locate the windsock. He elected to land on runway 27 and during final approach, the airplane was slightly fast and high. He continued the approach and at the point that he decided to go-around, he observed trees ahead and felt he would be unable to clear them. He elected to continue and the airplane was landed about 2/3 down the 3,401-foot-long runway. Unable to stop the airplane, it rolled off the end of the runway, then veered to the right, which he straightened with application of power and left rudder. The airplane then traveled into a ditch causing the left main landing gear to collapse. He further reported that he landed downwind, and he should have decided to go-around earlier. He located the windsock postaccident and noted that it was operational.
A weather observation taken at 1655 central daylight time, from the Gadsen Municipal Airport, indicated in part that the wind was from 150 degrees at 4 knots. The Gadsen airport is located 25 nautical miles and 240 degrees from the accident airport.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7003P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-2148
- Airframe hours
- 4,403
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Delta Romeo Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 11, 1998 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- FTY · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- C22
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- C22 · Centre Municipal, runway 27, 3,401 × 80 ft, asphalt
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 37 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GAD, 25 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.