- Date
- October 7, 1994, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Grt Barrington, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N44794Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941007034329A
- Case key
- 38881
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 during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and the subsequent collapsed landing gear. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of total recent flying experience and recent experience in make and model.
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 had planned to stay in the airport traffic pattern and practice takeoffs and landings. During his first approach to land, the airplane landed hard, bounced once, and landed a second time when the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot's total flight time for the previous 90 days consisted of 2 hours of pilot-in-command in another make and model airplane.
Factual narrative
On October 7, 1994, at 1115 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, owned by Great Barrington Enterprise, Inc., and piloted by Henry S. Rossire, was substantially damaged while landing at the Great Barrington Airport, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot reported that he had planned to stay in the airport traffic pattern and practice takeoff and landings. This was his first approach to a landing. In the 6120.1/2, the pilot stated:
"...Weather clear, wind calm, practicing landings and takeoffs on Runway 11...After reviewing accident site I have determined that the aircraft was in a too low position for the approach to Runway 11. The main gear struck the embankment and the right side [landing gear] was torn off the aircraft. The aircraft slid off the right side of the runway, stopped in the grass about 50 yards from the threshold..."
In the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector's report, he stated:
"...The pilot landed short of the runway asphalt by about 3 feet. There was a rut about 6 inches deep and 2 1/2 to 3 feet long that was caused by the right main wheel as it contacted the ground. There was slight evidence of the left main wheel touching the ground at about the same time. The airplane apparently bounced back into the air. The next indication of impact with the ground was located about 30 feet away on the runway asphalt...There was an indication of the main landing gear sliding for a short distance when it apparently collapsed enough to cause the airplane to be supported on the right wing tip...the airplane left the runway and continued to slide on the turf or grass along side of the runway..."
The 80 year old pilot's total flight time for the previous 90 days consisted of 2 hours of pilot-in-command in another make and model airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44794
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7525006
- Airframe hours
- 6,737
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Great Barrington Enterprise
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1994 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- GBR
- Destination
- GBR · MA
- Airport
- GBR · Great Barrington, runway 11, 2,579 × 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
- 80
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 444 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ALB, 40 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.