- Date
- March 12, 2013, 12:27 local (19:27 UTC)
- Place
- Minden, NV
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8533PPiper PA-24-400
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 24, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130312003669A
- Case key
- 86407
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 bounced landing and a loss of directional control.
Findings · 5
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
The pilot reported that, during the landing, he crossed the threshold at 85 to 90 knots with 15 degrees of flaps. The pilot used the electric trim as the airplane “floated” about 3 to 4 feet above the runway. The airplane subsequently touched down hard, and it bounced three times, striking the propeller on the runway each time. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control by applying brakes and making rudder control inputs, and the airplane departed the side of the runway, collapsing the landing gear. Postaccident examinations revealed substantial damage to the airplane’s lower belly main structure from the forward bulkhead firewall to just aft of the wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing, he crossed the threshold at 85 to 90 knots with 15 degrees of flaps. The pilot utilized the electric trim as the airplane floated down the runway about 3 to 4 feet above the surface. The airplane subsequently touched down hard and it bounced three times, striking the propeller on the runway each time. The nose gear was damaged and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control with braking action and rudder control. The airplane departed the side of the runway collapsing the landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s belly revealed that five bulkheads from the firewall aft were bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8533P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-400
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26-114
- Airframe hours
- 4,540
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-720, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 2012
- Departed
- 41U · Manti, UT
- Destination
- MEV · Minden, NV
- Airport
- MEV · Minden-Tahoe Airport, runway 34, 7,400 × 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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 30, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 60 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- CXP, 11 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.