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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

March 8, 2002 · Piper P46T · N117NU

Philadelphia, PA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 8, 2002
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Aircraft
Piper P46T
Tail Number
N117NU
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC02LA069

The airplane was landing on runway 06. The pilot reported that he was high and fast. He did not flare, and the airplane touched down, nose gear first, and bounced. The pilot added power for a go-around, and then aborted the go-around. The airplane then touched down again, veered off the left side of the runway, traveled through 380 feet of dirt and came to rest in a grassy area. Both main landing gear had collapsed to the right, and the nose landing gear was bent to the right. The left wing had wrinkles in the upper surface of the skin, as well as damage to the flap and aileron. All propeller blades had damage to the tips. Weather reported about the time of the accident included winds from 060 degrees at 5 knots, with clear skies.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor was the pilot's failure to flare during initial touchdown.

Full Narrative

On March 8, 2002, about 0845 eastern standard time, a Piper P46T, N117NU was substantially damaged while landing at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated from Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), Bridgeport, Connecticut. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated "...I came in a little fast and a little high, and when I touched down, I landed on the front tire and the plane porpoised. When I bounced in the air I tried to go around by applying power, but the engine took a second or 2 to spool and I didn't feel the power surge to take off again. I wasn't sure if I had had a prop strike which might have made it so the propeller could not give me enough power, or it was the slow spooling [of the engine] so I pulled the power back again. By this time I was off the runway and into the grass, which stopped the bouncing that was occurring on the runway. Once on the grass and no longer bouncing, I attempted to steer the plane back on to the runway, and that is when the landing gear collapsed...." According to an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), there was damage to the flap, aileron, and wrinkles on the upper surface skin of the left wing. Both main landing gear had collapsed to the right, and the nose wheel was bent to the right. The propeller blades had damage to all four tips. After departing the runway, the airplane traveled through 380 feet of dirt and came to rest in a grassy area. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, in the section titled, "Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented)", the pilot reported: "I should have flared, not landed on front tire." According to the 0854 weather observation from PNE, the sky was clear, the visibility was 9 statute miles, and the winds was from 060 degrees at 5 knots. According to FAA data, runway 6 was 7,000 feet long, 150 feet wide, and had a asphalt surface. The airplane was originally delivered as a PA-46-350P. It was subsequently modified by a supplemental type certificate (STC), which replaced the reciprocating engine with a Pratt & Whitney Of Canada (PWC) PT6A-34 turboprop engine. According to the STC holder, the airplane was re-designated a P46T. The pilot reported his total flight experience as 719 hours, which included 76 hours in make and model, including 65 hours in the preceding 90 days.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:45 EST
Nearest AirportNortheast Philadelphia Airport (0nm)
Runway06
Runway Length7000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper P46T
Tail NumberN117NU
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsPratt & Whitney · PT6A-34 · Turboprop · 550
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 51 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind60° @ 5 kt
Visibility9 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point48 / 37 C
Altimeter30.47 inHg
Observation Time13:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data