Casualties unknown

1998-08-28: Piper PA-32-300 (N44295) — Manuel Garrito — Opa Locka, FL

Opa Locka, FL, US

On August 28, 1998, a Piper PA-32-300 (registration N44295) operated by Manuel Garrito was involved in an aviation accident near Opa Locka, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent hard touchdown that overstressed the nose landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A bounced landing led to a stall and hard touchdown, causing the nose gear to collapse as the aircraft skidded off the runway.

What happened

During the initial phase of the landing rollout, the pilot experienced a bounce upon first contact with the runway surface. In an effort to regain control and arrest the descent, the pilot applied additional power to lift the aircraft momentarily before quickly reducing throttle settings.

This sequence of power adjustments caused the aircraft to adopt a nose-high pitch attitude. The aerodynamic configuration at this moment resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Following the stall, the aircraft descended rapidly and impacted the runway surface with significant vertical force for a second time.

Upon this hard touchdown, the aircraft began to porpoise, oscillating vertically along the runway centerline. The structural integrity of the landing gear was compromised during this violent motion, leading to the collapse of the nose landing gear assembly. With the nose gear no longer supporting the front of the aircraft, it skidded off the paved surface.

Probable cause

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent hard touchdown that overstressed the nose landing gear.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X10930. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.