N2226Z

On December 3, 1995, at 1345 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N2226Z, was substantially damaged while landing at the Meriden Markham Municipal Airport, Meriden, Connecticut. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight, which departed from Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, about 1325, and was operated under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot was interviewed by an FAA Inspector who reported:

...the aircraft touched down [on runway 18] on the right main gear. The aircraft then bounced and became airborne with a nose down attitude. [the pilot]...pulled back on the control yoke in an effort to bring the nose back up, however the aircraft began to roll to the right. [the pilot]...attempted to correct the situation by applying left rudder and left aileron. The aircraft apparently caught the right wing tip and contacted the runway..., striking the propeller and collapsing the nose gear....

The airplane then departed the runway on the right side, and went through small trees and brush, prior to coming to rest at the edge of a 50 foot embankment.

The pilot reported the winds were from 220 degrees at 15 to 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots.

A flight instructor awaiting takeoff reported:

...We noticed a piper on approach to the active. This plane's approach was low, the airspeed was slow and he appeared to have a low power setting. Under normal wind conditions his approach would have been reasonable but the winds were variable between 190 and 200 [degrees] and the velocity was 20 kts gusting to 25 kts.

As the airplane passed over the numbers the pilot overcorrected with the elevator causing the plane to balloon up five feet. As the plane began to settle down again it rolled over to the right and the right wing struck the runway, the nose [landing gear] followed and struck [the runway] and collapsed[,] the propeller struck [the runway] and the plane skidded to a stop at the end of the clearing to the right of the runway.

The pilot's total flight time was 121 hours, with 111 hours in the Piper PA-28. He had flown 12.5 hours in the preceding 90 days.