N7422W

Substantial
Serious

PIPER PA 28-180S/N: 28-1310

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, November 30, 2014
NTSB Number
ERA15CA064
Location
Athens, AL
Event ID
20141201X10224
Coordinates
34.820556, -87.043891
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
2
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with power lines while on final approach.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N7422W
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-1310
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1963
Model / ICAO
PA 28-180M600
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
ATTN STAN SMITH
21390 BEELINE HWY
Status
Deregistered
City
TANNER
State / Zip Code
AL 35671
Country
United States

Analysis

The airplane was on final approach to land on runway 18, a 2,500-foot-long, turf runway, at a private airstrip. A witness stated that winds were gusting from the south and when the airplane was on short final it began to sink. The airplane's right main landing gear tire struck the top wire of power lines that were located across a road from the airstrip and were perpendicular to the runway. The airplane pitched down and impacted on the runway, about 120 feet to the south, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward portion of the fuselage. The pilot reported he added engine power when he realized that the airplane was descending and that the engine hesitated. He further stated that he did not experience any malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Winds reported at an airport that was located about 11 miles south-southeast of the accident site, around the time of the accident, were from 190 degrees at 21 knots, gusting 26 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# ERA15CA064