What happened
On 25 April 2004, at approximately 18:10 UTC, a Piper PA 23-250E, registered EI-EEC, was performing an aerial photography mission near Shannon Airport. The flight was nearing its conclusion as the pilot prepared for a routine landing on Runway 24. At an altitude of roughly 1,000 feet, the aircraft was properly configured for its arrival.
As the aircraft reached the final stage of the landing sequence, approximately 15 to 20 feet above the runway surface, the plane experienced a sudden and rapid descent. This drop caused the aircraft to strike the runway on all three landing gear components, resulting in a bounce. To recover the necessary airspeed following the impact, the pilot applied full throttle, eventually completing the landing without further complications. Upon returning to the hangar, the pilot discovered significant damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the AAIU, reviewed maintenance records and information provided by the pilot and the maintenance organization. Investigators examined the physical state of the aircraft, noting that both propellers were bent and the engines had undergone shock loading. Additionally, the lower fuselage and bulkhead showed signs of damage, and there was visible skin wrinkling on portions of the wings and fuselage.
Weather conditions at the time of the landing, as reported via ATIS, included a wind from 140 degrees at 10 knots, visibility of 10 km, and scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, with no significant weather interference noted.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including bent propellers, engine shock loading, and structural damage to the fuselage and bulkhead.
- There were no injuries to the crew or the single passenger on board.
- The primary factor in the impact was the sudden drop in altitude just prior to the flare phase of the landing.