Piper PA-24 N7003P

Summary

On 16 September 1998 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-24 registered N7003P was involved in an accident near Centre, Alabama, United States. 3 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

16 September 1998 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Centre, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Centre Municipal (C22)

Coordinates

34.1505, -85.6702

Aircraft

Piper PA-24

Registration

N7003P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98LA247

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point and his delay in initiating a go-around during a high and fast approach. A factor was the ditch.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern but did not see the wind sock. He entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 27, and while on final approach, the airplane was high and fast. At the point he decided to go-around, he thought the airplane would be unable to clear trees ahead. He continued the approach and the airplane was landed about two-thirds down the 3,401 foot long runway. Unable to stop the airplane, it rolled off the end of the runway and collided with a ditch during which the left main landing gear collapsed. A weather observation taken about 25 minutes after the accident from an airport located 25 nautical miles and 240 degrees from the accident airport revealed in part that the wind was from 150 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot further reported that post accident he observed the wind sock and it was operational.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.