Casualties unknown

1999-09-12: Piper PA-22-108 (N5125Z) — Manassas, VA

Manassas, VA, US

On September 12, 1999, a Piper PA-22-108 (registration N5125Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Manassas, VA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper execution of a slip maneuver and failure to recover from it prior to touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

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

A student pilot conducting touch-and-go landings at an airport returned for a full stop landing on Runway 22. The aircraft touched down hard after a slip maneuver to correct altitude, causing the nose gear to collapse and the plane to nosed over.

What happened

The incident occurred during a training flight involving touch-and-go landings. The student pilot was practicing approaches on Runway 4. After completing four such maneuvers, the pilot decided to return for a full stop landing on the opposite runway, designated as Runway 22.

During the final approach phase, the pilot realized that the aircraft was positioned too high above the runway threshold. To correct this altitude discrepancy and increase the rate of descent without gaining excessive airspeed, the pilot executed a slip maneuver. However, the pilot failed to successfully recover from this configuration before reaching the ground. Consequently, the aircraft impacted the runway surface with significant vertical force.

The hard landing resulted in immediate structural failure of the landing gear. The nose wheel collapsed upon impact, causing the forward section of the fuselage to pitch down violently. The airplane subsequently nosed over, coming to rest on its nose and wings.

Probable cause

The pilot's improper execution of a slip maneuver and failure to recover from it prior to touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X19863. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.