# NTSB NYC07CA045: Piper PA-28-151, N44635, Danbury, CT, December 11, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 11, 2006, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Danbury, CT
- Coordinates: 41.371665, -73.482223
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3717&lon=-73.4822&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 64996
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07CA045
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64996/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA045

## Probable cause

The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

The student pilot was conducting her first solo flight in a Piper PA-28-151.  After takeoff, the student pilot remained in the traffic pattern and flew an approach to runway 35, a 3,135-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway.  The airplane touched down hard at the approach end of the runway and bounced.  During that time, the student pilot's headset slipped from her head and fell to the cabin floor.  When the student pilot attempted to retrieve her headset, the airplane touched down harder a second time, and the nose gear separated from the airplane.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was conducting her first solo flight in a Piper PA-28-151.  After takeoff, the student pilot remained in the traffic pattern and flew an approach to runway 35, a 3,135-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway.  The airplane touched down hard at the approach end of the runway and bounced.  During that time, the student pilot's headset slipped from her head and fell to the cabin floor.  When the student pilot attempted to retrieve her headset, the airplane touched down harder a second time, and the nose gear separated from the airplane.  The nose gear separation resulted in substantial damage to the firewall.  The student pilot was not initially aware of the separation, and performed a go-around.  After being informed of the damage by an air traffic controller, the student pilot performed an uneventful emergency landing to runway 35.  The reported wind about the time of the accident was from 320 degrees at 6 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N44635](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44635-2013-06-20), registration cancelled 2013-06-20, S/N 28-7415690, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-151
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (registry code 7102805) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-7415690
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Janet O'Brian
- Registered owner: Tob LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: DXR, Danbury, CT
- Airport: DXR, Danbury Municipal Airport, runway 35, 3,135 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 48; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observed at: DXR

## 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 20061211028169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061211028169A), Dec 11, 2006: Piper PA28151, Danbury, CT, Substantial damage. (-23) As stated by the student pilot and the CFI observing the student pilot's first solo flight attempt on 12/11/2006. At approximately 14:00 hours the pilot…

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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