Accident Overview
On April 26, 2010, at approximately 1523 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301 airplane, registration N8305H, was substantially damaged when the landing gear collapsed during a hard landing at King Cove Airport in King Cove, Alaska. The aircraft was operated by Peninsula Airways Inc. as Flight 421, a scheduled commuter passenger flight under visual flight rules (VFR) in accordance with Title 14 CFR Part 135.
Flight Details
The flight departed Cold Bay, Alaska, at about 1515. The airline transport pilot and four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect.
Pilot Account
In a telephone conversation with National Transportation Safety Board investigators on April 27, the pilot reported that while on short final for runway 25, the airspeed was indicating 100 knots. He then encountered wind gusts and wind shear, causing the airspeed to drop to zero. The airplane landed hard, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot noted that he had landed at the same airport earlier that day under windy but manageable conditions. No mechanical problems were reported before the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.
Aircraft and Operator
The accident airplane was a Piper PA-32-301, serial number N8305H. Peninsula Airways Inc., based in Anchorage, Alaska, operated the aircraft as a scheduled commuter passenger flight under Part 135 regulations.