Berger Bernard M PULSAR SERIES III N914BB

Summary

On 3 May 2018 at about 19:56 local time, a Berger Bernard M PULSAR SERIES III registered N914BB was involved in an accident near Palmyra, Pennsylvania, 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

3 May 2018 at 19:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmyra, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Reigle Field (58N)

Coordinates

40.2878, -76.5800

Aircraft

Berger Bernard M PULSAR SERIES III

Registration

N914BB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlisle → Carlisle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA258

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate approach speed, which resulted in a bounced landing and a runway overrun.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the preflight inspection, he observed no discrepancies and noted that the oil level was "inside the lower bound of normal oil capacity." He reported that en route, the oil pressure "was in the 30s [pounds per square inch] and trending downward" but still within the normal engine oil pressure limits. He decided to divert to a nearby airport as a precaution. The pilot reported that, while maneuvering to the alternate airport, the engine instruments appeared normal. However, during left base for the runway, he observed "a few seconds of white smoke" coming from the engine over the left wing. He reduced power, added flaps, and noticed that the airplane's approach speed was too fast. He decided he would not attempt a go-around due to the smoke and shut the engine off "thinking of the possibility of an engine fire." Subsequently, the airplane bounced during the initial touchdown and landed near the runway's halfway point. The pilot applied brakes, but the airplane overran the runway into a dirt field, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.