On June 25, 1988, a Piper PA-34-200T (registration N59039) operated by Edward A. Williams was involved in an aviation accident near Andrews, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to establish a proper approach profile, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent collapse of the main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot established an improper approach profile resulting in a hard landing that collapsed the main landing gear, causing the aircraft to veer off the left side of the runway.
What happened
The flight ended when the airplane experienced a hard landing during the final phase of the approach. The pilot failed to establish a proper approach profile prior to touchdown. The excessive impact force caused the main landing gear to collapse immediately upon contact with the runway surface.
Following the collapse of the landing gear, the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway. A witness located near the runway confirmed that the airspeed appeared high at the time of touchdown and that the landing was excessive.
The investigation
A physical examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the cause of the incident. The inspection failed to disclose any system failure or malfunction within the aircraft's mechanical systems prior to the impact.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to establish a proper approach profile, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent collapse of the main landing gear.