New Bedford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740
Monday, August 19, 2002 13:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was instructed by the certified flight instructor (CFI) to perform a short field landing. While on final approach to the runway, the airplane was slowed "close to stall." When it appeared that the airplane was not going to make the runway, the CFI advised the pilot to add power. Unable to recover from the descent with power, the airplane touched down in a grassy area 15 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane continued onto the runway, where the nose landing gear sheared from the fuselage, and the main landing gear collapsed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, and the CFI's delay in remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City New Bedford
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02740
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414057N
Event Location Longitude 0705742W
Event Location Airport New Bedford Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 80
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID EWB
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14744
NTSB Notification Source FAA NEROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-01 Bedford, MA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9030P
NTSB Number NYC02LA170
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4492
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 24 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 7125
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert R. Venusti
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Voluntown
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06384
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code EWB
Departure City New Bedford
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 5 2003 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --