Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 14:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he landed the airplane in a right crosswind and wind gusts. He applied a right crosswind correction, flared, and touched down with the right main landing gear on the runway. When the pilot removed the right crosswind control corrections, the airplane landed hard and as the nose wheel settled onto the runway, the airplane swerved to the left. The nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and forward baggage compartment supports. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for crosswind conditions, resulting in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Allentown
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18103
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403408N
Event Location Longitude 0752910W
Event Location Airport Allentown Queen City Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID XLL
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 399
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1440 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID XLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 399
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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) 28345
NTSB Notification Source FAA Allentown FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2011 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9172V
NTSB Number ERA11CA202
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 46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4622038
Certified Max Gross Weight 4340
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 5
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 18 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 3341
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name D AND H AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2895 HAMILTN BLVD SUITE 201
Aircraft Owner City ALLENTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18104
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name James J. Dooley Jr
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? No
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 BWI
Departure City Baltimore
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code XLL
Destination City Allentown
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2011 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 3949
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --