- Date
- April 2, 1998, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warren, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N44181Piper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980402009409A
- Case key
- 39550
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.
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 airplane was on a stabilized approach at 50 feet AGL (Above Ground Level), with full flaps and indicating 70 knots, when the airplane developed a high sink rate. At 30 feet, the pilot tried to arrest the excessive rate of descent with power. The airplane struck a drop off on the approach end of Runway 24, shearing the landing gear before coming to rest upright 40 feet down the runway.
Factual narrative
On April 2, 1998, at 1915 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N44181, was substantially damaged while landing to Warren Airpark, Warren, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated from Tappahannock, Virginia, approximately 1835. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane. He also stated the airplane was on a stabilized approach at 50 feet, with full flaps and indicating 70 knots, when the airplane developed a "high sink rate." At 30 feet, the pilot tried to arrest the excessive rate of descent with power. The airplane struck a drop off on the approach end of Runway 24, shearing the landing gear before coming to rest upright 40 feet down the runway.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector described the 15 foot drop, located 100 feet short of the landing threshold, as vertical.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44181
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7405225
- Airframe hours
- 2,414
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth M. Alsop
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 20, 1997 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- W79 · Tappahannock, PA
- Destination
- 7PA1
- Airport
- 7PA1 · Warren Airpark, runway 24, 1,900 × 100 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 625 total · 400 in this make and model · 542 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBF, 30 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 1998, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N44181 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.