- Date
- September 3, 2007, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Wilmington, DE
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N251ASPiper PA-34-200T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070903829619A
- Case key
- 66576
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 improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor to the accident was the wind gust.
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
While on final approach for landing on runway 27 at his destination airport, the pilot of a PA-34-200T was advised by the control tower of "18 mph [wind] gusts out of 270" degrees. After touchdown the airplane rolled for "several yards," then "ballooned up and came down," at which time, the windshield broke. The airplane bounced once again, touched down, and rolled out, completing the landing. Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane was substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the PA-34-200T stated that the while on final approach for landing on runway 27 at his destination airport, he was advised by the control tower of "18 mph [wind] gusts out of 270" degrees. After touchdown the airplane rolled for "several yards," then "ballooned up and came down," at which time, the windshield broke. The airplane bounced once again, touched down, and rolled out, completing the landing. Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the nose landing gear "A-frame" assembly had impacted the base of the windshield after tearing through the fuselage structure located above the nose landing gear wheel well. Further examination revealed that the right propeller was also damaged and the ends of the blades had been bent aft. No evidence of any preimpact malfunctions were discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N251AS
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-8070119
- Airframe hours
- 4,350.5
- Engines
- Continental LTSIO-360-EB, 200 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental TSIO-360-EB1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Fly Boys LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2006
- Departed
- DYL · Doylestown, PA
- Destination
- ILG · Wilmington, DE
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, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 439 total · 152 in this make and model · 321 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- ILG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.