Summary
On December 11, 2006, a Piper PA-28-151 (N44635) was involved in an incident near Danbury, CT. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
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.
This incident is documented in NTSB report NYC07CA045. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N44635.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
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