Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
Sunday, August 28, 2005 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane experienced a hard landing while landing on a private grass airstrip. The pilot reported, "... we crossed the electric wires and as soon as we were across we made a slight dip in flight to get down... ." He reported he then pulled back on the control yoke to flare and added power to increase the pitch attitude; however, the engine power did not increase. The pilot reported the airplane "...made a very hard landing" during which the left main and nose gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures/malfunctions of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in his inability to properly flare the airplane and the subsequent hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Ypsilanti
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48197
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 421417N
Event Location Longitude 0833149W
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID YIP
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
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) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18761
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Belleville, MI FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8103V
NTSB Number CHI05CA247
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8090118
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Winford French
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ypsilanti
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48197
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ADG
Departure City Adrian
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Ypsilanti
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2005 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --