St Clair County Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Huron, Michigan 48060
Wednesday, July 16, 2003 13:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was damaged during a hard landing on runway 28. The pilot reported that the landing approach was normal. He reported that at touchdown on the main landing gear, wind gusts changed and caused the airplane to bounce off of the nose gear. The pilot attempted to settle the airplane back on the main gear, but it bounced higher and continued bouncing at least three more times veering to the left and in the grass. The weather reporting station located at the accident airport recorded the wind as 330 degrees at 6 knots. No gusts were recorded.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot misjudging the flare during landing, and his inadequate remedial action resulting in the inadvertent porpoise of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Port Huron
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48060
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 425439N
Event Location Longitude 0823144W
Event Location Airport ST CLAIR COUNTY INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 323
Airport Elevation 650
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1316 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 323
Weather Observation Facility ID PHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15436
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1223
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Detroit, Michigan

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5359J
NTSB Number CHI03LA279
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-220T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3449267
Certified Max Gross Weight 4773
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 170
Airframe Hours 170
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name A & K Equipment Co., Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8670 Monticello Ln. N
Aircraft Owner City Maple Grove
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55369
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FCM
Departure City MINNEAPOLIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHN
Destination City PORT HURON
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2004 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 4001
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --