Main Landing Gear Separation During Hard Landing

Casualties unknown • West Chicago, IL, US

An aircraft experienced a hard landing on runway 19L, resulting in the separation of the main landing gear from the wing mounts.

What happened

The aircraft was on final approach for runway 19R when air traffic control instructed the pilot to divert to runway 19L. The pilot acknowledged the instruction and transitioned to the new approach.

As the aircraft approached the threshold of runway 19L, the control tower issued an announcement stating that the wind had shifted to 280 degrees at 19 knots. Following this announcement, the pilot continued the landing approach. During the descent, the pilot noted that the aircraft's rate of descent was higher than normal.

The aircraft subsequently made a hard landing on the runway surface. The impact was severe enough to cause the main landing gear to separate from its wing mounts.

Probable cause

The pilot failed to increase engine power to manage the descent rate and was distracted by wind direction and speed updates from the control tower.

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1993-05-14 Piper PA-32-300 accident near West Chicago, IL?

An aircraft experienced a hard landing on runway 19L, resulting in the separation of the main landing gear from the wing mounts.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1993-05-14 involved a Piper PA-32-300, registration N2947E, operated by Bcs Aero Sales, at West Chicago, IL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot failed to increase engine power to manage the descent rate and was distracted by wind direction and speed updates from the control tower.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X12354. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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