- Date
- September 20, 2008, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Carrabassett, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2318TPiper PA28-140
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080920849329A
- Case key
- 68966
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 landing flare.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he completed a left base turn to final for landing on Runway 17. He reduced power, "attempted to flare," and the airplane landed "very" hard. He stated that the airplane "appeared to be porpoising" and bounced hard two more times before it slid to a halt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. He concluded, "My best guess is that my speed was too high and I was trying to land by instinct rather than watching the airspeed." The pilot reported that the winds were from 180 degrees at 4 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot/owner of the Piper PA28-140, he completed a left base turn to final for landing on Runway 17. He reduced power, "attempted to flare," and the airplane landed "very" hard. He stated that the airplane "appeared to be porpoising" and bounced hard two more times before it slid to a halt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. He concluded, "My best guess is that my speed was too high and I was trying to land by instinct rather than watching the airspeed."The pilot reported that the winds were from 180 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2318T
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7125567
- Airframe hours
- 5,126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Holland C. Filgo, Jr.
- Registered owner
- Holland C. Filgo, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 10, 2008
- Departed
- ASH · Nashua, NH
- Destination
- B21 · Carrabassett, ME
- Airport
- B21 · Sugarloaf Regional Airport, runway 17, 2,800 × 75 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
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 19, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 916 total · 820 in this make and model · 863 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- LEW, 63 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.