Piper PA-28-181 N348TF

Summary

On 19 August 2010 at about 15:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N348TF, operated by Wasser Nathan H, was involved in an accident near Oakland, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 August 2010 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Oakland, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Garrett County Airport (2G4)

Coordinates

39.5753, -79.3347

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N348TF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Wasser Nathan H

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cumberland → Oakland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA441

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was established on final approach, with wind reported from 310 degrees at 5 knots. He reduced the power to maintain a 500 foot-per-minute (fpm) descent rate. As the airplane slowed to 110 knots, the pilot lowered one notch of flaps. He realized that he was high on the approach, so he lowered the nose and increased the descent rate to 700 fpm. He then lowered two more notches of flaps, and the airplane continued to slow down. Over the runway threshold, the pilot began to flare and heard the stall warning horn. He misjudged his height above the runway and did not add power in the flare as the stall warning continued. He flared about 15 feet above the runway, the airplane landed hard, and the initial touchdown forced the main gears up through the wings. The airplane then bounced twice and skidded off the left side of the runway and down an embankment; the left wing and the landing gear separated during the event. The pilot reported that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.