N8146Y

On July 25, 2003, at 1355 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N8146Y, was substantially damaged while landing at the Plum Island Airport (2B2), Newburyport, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot entered the traffic pattern at Newburyport on a left downwind leg, at 1,000 feet. Once on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot reduced power to 17 inches of manifold pressure, and extended the landing gear. As he turned onto final, the pilot noticed a fence across the runway just prior to the numbers. The airplane then encountered a gust of wind, which caused the airplane to bank to the left, and the pilot recovered to a wings level attitude. As the airplane flew over the fence, the left wing dropped "uncomfortably" and the pilot corrected. The airplane then touched down hard, and the left tire blew. The airplane skidded to the left, off the side of the runway, and came to rest in a grass area adjacent to the runway.

Review of the Airport Facilities Directory revealed that a fence was placed on the approach end of runway 28, and the threshold was displaced 300 feet. Runway 28 was a 2,105-foot-long, 50-foot-wide asphalt runway.

The weather reported at Beverly Municipal Airport, 12 miles to the south, at 1353, included winds from 240 degrees at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, and few clouds at 4,700 feet.