N5033S

Substantial
None

PIPER PA-28R-200S/N: 28R-35762

Accident Details

Date
Monday, January 12, 2015
NTSB Number
ERA15CA116
Location
Deland, FL
Event ID
20150203X92358
Coordinates
29.066944, -81.283607
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and decision to land in an area with known convective wind gusts, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28R-35762
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1970
Model / ICAO
PA-28R-200P28R
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
PA-28R-200

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
GPSP AVIATION LLC
Address
2170 UNIVERSITY AVE APT 1D
City
BRONX
State / Zip Code
NY 10453
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot stated that he had decided to return to his originating airport after having been advised by air traffic control of an inbound thunderstorm during a local flight. The pilot obtained an instrument flight rules clearance and headed towards the airport, which was in the direction of the storm. During the first landing attempt on runway 30, the pilot noted strong wind gusts and "extreme precipitation," but elected to continue the landing. About 30 feet above the runway, a "strong windshear" forced the airplane onto the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane subsequently lifted off the ground again and the pilot initiated a go-around. The pilot circled the runway and aborted three more attempts before he successfully landed the airplane. He reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he had obtained some weather information prior to his departure, but was not aware of the thunderstorm. A review of weather radar revealed the presence of strong winds and heavy precipitation over the pilot's originating airport at the time of the accident. Winds reported at the accident site about 10 minutes after the accident were from 320 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots. There were also area forecasts for convective activity and Convective Sigmets that had been issued for the pilot's route of flight about one hour and thirty minutes prior to his departure.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA15CA116