Piper PA28-140 N4594T

Summary

On 8 July 1989 at about 15:15 local time, a Piper PA28-140 registered N4594T, operated by John J. Kaiser, was involved in an accident near Holly Hill, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were 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

8 July 1989 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Holly Hill, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Holly Hill (5J5)

Coordinates

33.3193, -80.4101

Aircraft

Piper PA28-140

Registration

N4594T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John J. Kaiser

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summerville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89LA176

Nobody was injured.

PILOT MISJUDGED HIS LANDING APPROACH PATH AND CROSSED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD TOO HIGH TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE LANDING. HE ALSO FLARED THE AIRPLANE AT TOO HIGH AN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN A STALL TO A HARD TOUCHDOWN ON THE NOSE WHEEL EXCEEDING THE STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY OF THE STRUT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE SHORT FLIGHT FROM SUMMERVILLE TO HOLLY HILL, HE DESCENDED TO 900 FT AGL AND MADE A CIRCUIT OF THE FIELD. HE NOTED THE WIND TO BE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 10-15 KTS BY THE WINDSOCK. HE SET UP FOR A SHORT FIELD APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22. AFTER CLEARING TREES ON THE APPROACH, HE STEEPENED THE DESCENT BY LOWERING THE NOSE. HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT 150 TO 175 FEET AND WHEN 1200 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND. AT THAT TIME HE STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK TO SHIFT 180 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DROP AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE HIT HARD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.