Undetermined · NTSB ERA23FA185
PIPER PA-32-260 — Sebastian, FL
| Date | April 7, 2023 |
| Location | Sebastian, FL |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-32-260 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Landing-aborted after touchdown Attempted remediation/recovery |
| Pilot age | 87 |
| Pilot total time | 606 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation
What happened
At the end of the local flight, the pilot completed a straight-in approach to his home airport for landing. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared slower than normal during the landing approach and that the wings were wobbling. The airplane touched down on its nose landing gear and bounced back into the air as the pilot simultaneously increased engine power. The left wing dropped and the airplane descended off the side of the runway, impacted terrain, and cartwheeled before coming to rest.
Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The witness statements, debris path, and impact signatures were consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during while attempting to recover from the bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.