- Date
- June 18, 2007, 09:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place
- Marietta, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N97044Piper PA31-310
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070618020549A
- Case key
- 66009
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 pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in an undershoot.
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.
Analysis
The pilot of the Piper PA-31-450 reported that he did not have any mechanical or performance problems with the airplane during the instrument flight and subsequent visual approach. The pilot also reported that it was his habit to land unusually close to the runway threshold. He believed that this approach "looked perfect," but at the "last minute," he judged the airplane to be "just a little low" and attempted a correction. The airplane then experienced a "hard hit," and the pilot thought that the main wheels contacted the lip at the end of the runway pavement. The airplane came to rest straddling the right edge of the runway, and was unable to be taxied due to landing gear damage. No one else was present at the time of the accident. The pilot kept a lookout for other aircraft that might attempt to take off or land on the runway, until air traffic control was notified and the airport closed. Ground scars were consistent with landing gear impact just short of the runway. The accident flight was the pilot's third flight to this airport. The pilot stated that neither the weather nor the airport posed any hazards to his landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Piper PA-31-450 reported that he did not have any mechanical or performance problems with the airplane during the instrument flight and subsequent visual approach. The pilot also reported that it was his habit to land unusually close to the runway threshold. He believed that this approach "looked perfect," but at the "last minute," he judged the airplane to be "just a little low" and attempted a correction. The airplane then experienced a "hard hit," and the pilot thought that the main wheels contacted the lip at the end of the runway pavement. The airplane came to rest straddling the right edge of the runway, and was unable to be taxied due to landing gear damage. No one else was present at the time of the accident. The pilot kept a lookout for other aircraft that might attempt to take off or land on the runway, until air traffic control was notified and the airport closed. Ground scars were consistent with landing gear impact just short of the runway. The accident flight was the pilot's third flight to this airport. The pilot stated that neither the weather nor the airport posed any hazards to his landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N97044
- Reported as
- Piper PA31-310
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-450
- Airframe hours
- 5,556
- Engines
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aires Analytics Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2006 · 144 hours before
- Departed
- W66 · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- N71 · Marietta, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- N71 · Donegal Springs, runway 28, 3,250 × 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,118 total · 349 in this make and model · 878 as pilot in command · 57 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- MDT, 11 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.