Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
Saturday, July 2, 2005 9:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear, followed by the nose gear, and then bounced back into the air. He then added engine power, and landed without further incident. After taxiing to the ramp, the pilot noticed damage to the airplane's nose gear. Further examination revealed damaged to the nose frame assembly, and windshield frame. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions. He reported 3,700 hours of total flight experience, which included 16 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Allentown
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18101
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 403413N
Event Location Longitude 0752917W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID ABE
Elevation of weather observation facility 394
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
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) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18519
NTSB Notification Source Allentown FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2005 6:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allenton, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78SF
NTSB Number NYC05CA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7770309
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6650
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RMR Air LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Allentown
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18103
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Gateway Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Allentown
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 18103
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SLK
Departure City Saranac Lake
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1N9
Destination City Allentown
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 27 2005 8:18AM
User who most recently changed record SCHL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --