NYC02LA039

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28 · Cross Keys, NJ · December 17, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 17, 2001, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
Place
Cross Keys, NJ
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7658FPiper PA-28
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report May 1, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20011217039359A
Case key
53913

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the 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.

In flight collision with objectLanding - aborted
Aborted landing - delayedPilot in commandCause
Object - fence

Analysis

The airplane departed on a VFR flight. The departure, en route, and descent portions of the flight were uneventful. The airplane turned final "high" and approximately 1/2 mile from the displaced threshold. On final, the pilot selected 40 degrees of flaps. The airplane crossed the displaced threshold approximately 100 feet agl, and 15 to 20 knots fast. The airplane touched down with approximately 1,750 feet of runway remaining. When the nosewheel touched down, the pilot realized he would not be able to stop before reaching the end. With approximately 500 feet of runway remaining, he decided to abort the landing. The airplane lifted off at the end of the runway. The right main landing gear struck a wooden fence at the end of the runway, and then an automobile traveling on a road. The airplane spun approximately 180 degrees to the right, impacted the ground, came to a stop, and the pilot exited. After the accident, the pilot did not report any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On December 17, 2001, about 0800 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28, N7658F, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at the Cross Keys Airport (17N), Cross Keys, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed Allaire Airport (BLM), Belmar, New Jersey. No flight plan was filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he made a left downwind departure from Belmar, and climbed to 2,500 feet msl while proceeding to the Coyle VOR (CYN). After passing CYN, the pilot proceeded direct to Cross Keys, where he made a right downwind entry for runway 9. Once the airplane was "abeam the numbers," the pilot selected the flaps to 10 degrees, and retarded the throttle to idle. On base leg, he selected 25 degrees of flaps, and noticed the airplane was a "little high" and a "little fast." He then realized the runway had a displaced threshold, which made him feel like he had more time to slow the airplane down and establish a proper glide angle.

The airplane turned final "high" and approximately 1/2 mile from the displaced threshold. On final, the pilot selected 40 degrees of flaps. The airplane crossed the displaced threshold approximately 100 feet agl, with 90 to 95 knots of indicated airspeed. The pilot added that when the airplane crossed the displaced threshold, the airspeed should have been approximately 75 knots. The airplane touched-down about halfway down the 3,500-foot long runway. The pilot held the nosewheel off the ground while he applied the brakes. When the pilot allowed the nosewheel to touchdown, he realized he would not be able to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the runway.

With approximately 500 feet of runway remaining, the pilot decided to abort the landing. He applied full power, and selected 25 degrees of flaps. When the airplane reached approximately 65 knots of airspeed, the pilot applied back pressure to the yoke, and the airplane lifted off. The right main landing gear then struck a wooden fence that ran perpendicular to the runway, which caused the nose of the airplane to pitch down. The right main landing gear then struck an automobile traveling on a road that was also perpendicular to the runway. The airplane spun approximately 180 degrees to the right, and started traveling backwards through the air. The airplane touched down "smoothly" while still traveling backwards. The nosewheel collapsed, and the propeller impacted the ground. The airplane came to a stop; the pilot secured all the systems, and then egressed. The pilot report that he did not experience any preimpact failures with either the engine or the airframe.

Aircraft

Registration
N7658F
Reported as
Piper PA-28
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-7715226
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Gsf2, LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
BLM · Belmar, NJ
Destination
17N · Cross Keys, NJ
Airport
17N · Cross Keys, runway 9, 3,500 × 50 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
22
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
November 13, 2001
Seat
Left
Flight hours
454 total · 119 in this make and model · 222 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
150° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
6,500 ft overcast
Temperature
43 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
30.15 inHg
Observed at
PHL, 14 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.