On October 13, 2007, a Piper PA-30 (registration N8635Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Lonoke, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare resulting in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot inadvertently executed a hard landing on a turf runway, damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot stated he landed short to avoid back taxiing.
Accident Description
The pilot inadvertently executed a hard landing on runway 18, a turf runway measuring 3,800 feet in length and 100 feet in width. The pilot stated that he intentionally landed short in order to avoid back taxiing and to minimize delays for other aircraft. Upon touchdown, the left propeller struck the ground. After the landing, the pilot taxied the aircraft safely to parking without further incident.
Aircraft Inspection
A post-accident inspection revealed damage to the left wing inboard of the engine, and also to the left side of the fuselage under the pilot's side window. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the aircraft prior to the accident.