# NTSB NYC07CA216: Piper PA28-161, N444CF, William-Sodus, NY, September 4, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 4, 2007, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: William-Sodus, NY
- Coordinates: 43.234165, -77.118888
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2342&lon=-77.1189&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 31, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66583
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07CA216
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66583/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA216

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare at touchdown, 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
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot of the Piper PA28-161  landed "long" to avoid "swirling winds" around the trees at the approach end of runway 10.  After touchdown, he applied back-pressure on the yoke to  "keep the nose wheel light,"  when the nose of the airplane suddenly pitched up.  The nose then dropped on the runway and collapsed the nose landing gear, which substantially damaged the airplane.  The winds reported at Greater Rochester International Airport, 26 miles west, were from 360 degrees at 7 knots.  The pilot reported no deficiencies with the handling and performance of the airplane.

## Factual narrative

The pilot of the Piper PA28-161 stated that he landed "long" to avoid "swirling winds" around the trees at the approach end of runway 10.  After touchdown, he applied back-pressure on the yoke to  "keep the nose wheel light,"  when the nose of the airplane suddenly pitched up.  The nose then dropped on the runway and collapsed the nose landing gear, which substantially damaged the airplane.  The winds reported about 26 miles west, were from 360 degrees at 7 knots.  The pilot reported that there were no deficiencies with the handling and performance of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N444CF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444CF-2018-03-13), registration cancelled 2018-03-13, S/N 28-7816035, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA28-161
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-7816035
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Williamson Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: KSDC, William-Sodus, NY
- Destination: KSDC, William-Sodus, NY
- Airport: KSDC, Williamson-Sodus, runway 10

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 69; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 1,400 total, 100 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 20070904829749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070904829749A), Sep 4, 2007: Piper PA28161, Williamson/Sod, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) On 9/4/2007, N444CF took off from great valley airport (N56) enroute to the Williamson/Sodus airport (ksdc). The pilot [privacy data omitted] attempted…

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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