On March 16, 1998, a Piper PA34-200 (registration N4442T) was involved in an aviation accident near Van Nuys, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudged landing flare which led to an uncontrolled porpoise and eventual collapse of the landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported a hard landing and subsequent porpoising that resulted in a landing gear collapse and runway excursion.
Incident Overview
The pilot of an aircraft reported that the initial touchdown was hard, accompanied by a loud noise that was attributed to a blown tire. Following the hard touchdown, the aircraft ballooned upward. The pilot then reduced power, causing the aircraft to impact the runway and subsequently slide off the runway surface.
Witness Account
A witness to the event stated that after touchdown, the aircraft began to porpoise down the runway. The porpoising motion progressively deteriorated until the landing gear collapsed.
Post-Incident Examination
Flight control continuity was established at the scene, and no discrepancies were noted with the landing gear tires during the examination.