Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-28-140 near Basehor, KS — 2010-09-25

Final reportCEN10LA575
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Date
2010-09-25
Location
Basehor, KS, USA
Airport
SN22
Aircraft
PIPER PA-28-140
Registration
N6484R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's improper touchdown point during landing and his delayed decision to execute a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's vision being obscured by the rain.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, his first approach for landing was too fast so he performed a go-around and attempted a second landing to the south. The pilot reported that rain showers obscured his vision during the approach, but he elected to continue with the landing. The grass runway was wet and the pilot thought that he could not stop the airplane on the runway so he subsequently initiated another go-around. During the go-around the airplane impacted a fence and came to rest in a corn field a mile away. The wind reported at an airport 10 miles to the southeast of the accident site was variable at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was out of the south at the time of the accident. The pilot additionally reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have aborted landing due to wet conditions and poor visibility.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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