Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbia, South Carolina 29170
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 17:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that on the landing flare, he heard a "loud bang" when the nose wheel touched down. The nose of the airplane "bounced" back into the air and the tail of the airplane struck the runway. The nose then settled back to the ground and the airplane came to a stop. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the nose wheel fork was broken in two parts, and the empennage was buckled. The nose landing gear wheel fork was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination. The fracture features were on slant planes with a matte gray appearance consistent with an overstress fracture. No evidence of a preexisting damage was observed. The overall deformation of both legs of the fork was consistent with side loading.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/30/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1710 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Columbia |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29170 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335611N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810706W |
| Event Location Airport | COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CAE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 236 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1656 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 236 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| 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) | 23324 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 30 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2008 11:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N87619 |
| NTSB Number | ATL07LA086 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| 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-32-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-40752 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 6545 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Bellefonte Incorporated |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3704 Stonegate Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Durham |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27705 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | RAM AIR FREIGHT INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3704 Stonegate Drive |
| Operator City | Durham |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | 27705 |
| Operator Code | FFKA |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MYR |
| Departure City | MYRTLE BEACH |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1655 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CAE |
| Destination City | COLUMBIA |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 22 2008 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOHB |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 8001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |