N44635

Substantial
None

Piper PA-28-151S/N: 28-7415690

Accident Details

Date
Monday, December 11, 2006
NTSB Number
NYC07CA045
Location
Danbury, CT
Event ID
20070116X00053
Coordinates
41.371665, -73.482223
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N44635
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-7415690
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1974
Model / ICAO
PA-28-151P28A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
NONE
Status
Deregistered
City
XXX
State / Zip Code
OK 73125
Country
United States

Analysis

The student pilot was conducting her first solo flight in a Piper PA-28-151. After takeoff, the student pilot remained in the traffic pattern and flew an approach to runway 35, a 3,135-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The airplane touched down hard at the approach end of the runway and bounced. During that time, the student pilot's headset slipped from her head and fell to the cabin floor. When the student pilot attempted to retrieve her headset, the airplane touched down harder a second time, and the nose gear separated from the airplane. The nose gear separation resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot was not initially aware of the separation, and performed a go-around. After being informed of the damage by an air traffic controller, the student pilot performed an uneventful emergency landing to runway 35. The reported wind about the time of the accident was from 320 degrees at 6 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC07CA045