Piper PA-32-260 N44588

Summary

On 7 April 2023 at about 18:43 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N44588, operated by N44588 LLC, was involved in an accident near Sebastian, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 April 2023 at 18:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Sebastian, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Sebastian Muni (X26)

Coordinates

27.8133, -80.4956

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N44588

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

N44588 LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23FA185

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the end of the local flight, the pilot completed a straight-in approach to his home airport for landing. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared slower than normal during the landing approach and that the wings were wobbling. The airplane touched down on its nose landing gear and bounced back into the air as the pilot simultaneously increased engine power. The left wing dropped and the airplane descended off the side of the runway, impacted terrain, and cartwheeled before coming to rest. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The witness statements, debris path, and impact signatures were consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during while attempting to recover from the bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.