PIPER PA 28-180
Athens, AL — November 30, 2014
Event Information
| Date | November 30, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA15CA064 |
| Event ID | 20141201X10224 |
| Location | Athens, AL |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 34.82056, -87.04389 |
| Airport | Private |
| Highest Injury | SERS |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA 28-180 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 2 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 2 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with power lines while on final approach.
Full Narrative
The airplane was on final approach to land on runway 18, a 2,500-foot-long, turf runway, at a private airstrip. A witness stated that winds were gusting from the south and when the airplane was on short final it began to sink. The airplane's right main landing gear tire struck the top wire of power lines that were located across a road from the airstrip and were perpendicular to the runway. The airplane pitched down and impacted on the runway, about 120 feet to the south, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward portion of the fuselage. The pilot reported he added engine power when he realized that the airplane was descending and that the engine hesitated. He further stated that he did not experience any malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Winds reported at an airport that was located about 11 miles south-southeast of the accident site, around the time of the accident, were from 190 degrees at 21 knots, gusting 26 knots.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.