Piper PA 32R N25WE

Summary

On 14 May 2018 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper PA 32R registered N25WE, operated by Axiom Capital Solutions LLC, was involved in an accident near Cape Carteret, North 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

14 May 2018 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cape Carteret, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Star Hill Golf Club (60NC)

Coordinates

34.7053, -77.0511

Aircraft

Piper PA 32R

Registration

N25WE

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Axiom Capital Solutions LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Cape Carteret

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA281

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s steep approach, which resulted in a hard landing and the collapse of the landing gear during touchdown.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot in the retractable-landing gear-equipped airplane, he set up for an extended final approach to the sandy turf runway. He waited until he cleared the trees and "then…dropped down to land." The main landing gear touched down first, followed by the nose landing gear. The main and nose landing gear collapsed upon contact with the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane slid about 300 ft before it came to a stop on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site reported that witnesses stated that the pilot landed the airplane hard on the sandy turf surface. However, the pilot stated that he did not. However, the pilot did state that he really had to bring the airplane in steep over the trees to get it on the runway. Photographs provided by the operator showed vertical deformation of both wings at the main landing gear mount location.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.