Piper PA-32R-300 N43797

Summary

On 16 May 1989 at about 12:54 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N43797, operated by Orthopaedics Associates, Inc., was involved in an accident near Gainesville, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 1989 at 12:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Gainesville, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Gainesville Reg. (GNV)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N43797

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Orthopaedics Associates, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gainesville → Pensacola

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA89LA148

1 person had minor injuries.

PILOT'S INABILITY TO PROPERLY FLARE DUE TO A HIGH SINK RATE AS A RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING SHORT OF AND OFF OF THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLT WAS CRUISING IN VFR CONDS WHEN RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST WITH CENTER. THE PLT DESCENDED & RETURNED TO GNV. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO FULLY EXTEND & LOCK THE GEAR USING NORMAL & EMERG MEANS DUE TO A LOSS OF ELECT POWER. AN APRCH WAS FLOWN FOR THE RWY WITH THE MAIN GEAR DOWN & THE NOSE GEAR IN AN UNDETERMINED POSITION. THE PLT STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL APRCH, HE SAW THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE SHORT OF THE RWY & ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE ON THE OVERRUN SECTION OF THE RWY WHICH DROVE THE MAIN GEAR INTO THE SPAR CAUSING A PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE GEAR & MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS LATER EXAMINED BY MAINT PERSNL WHO REPORTED THE BRUSHES WERE COMPLETELY BURNED OUT. TWO WITNESSES, BOTH OF WHOM ARE CFIS, STATED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THEY HEARD TWO POWER APPLICATIONS BEFORE IMPACT BUT THE ACFT HAD DEVELOPED A NOSE HI ATTITUDE & HI SINK RATE WHICH WAS NOT ARRESTED PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GRND. FAA PERSONL LATER TEST RAN THE ENG WHICH CHECKED OUT OK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.