PIPER PA28
Pine Spring, TX — May 2, 2018
Event Information
| Date | May 2, 2018 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA347 |
| Event ID | 20180514X70043 |
| Location | Pine Spring, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 31.75805, -104.77639 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA28 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | NITE |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate altitude while flying over mountainous terrain in turbulent wind conditions at night, which resulted in a tree strike.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, while en route in mountainous terrain at night at 6,500 ft, he encountered turbulence and downdrafts and "felt a couple of impacts on the left side". He continued to the destination airport, where he noticed the ELT was transmitting over the radio. During the landing, the left main landing gear collapsed.
The pilot reported that he initially thought the airplane had struck a bird, but postaccident examination revealed that the left wing had impacted a tree. The elevation of the accident latitude and longitude, provided by the pilot, was about 5,000 ft.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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.