No fatalities

19 Apr 2014: PIPER PA-28 140 — Adventure Air Aviation — Kalamazoo, MI

Kalamazoo, MI, United States

On 19 Apr 2014, a PIPER PA-28 140 operated by Adventure Air Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Kalamazoo, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An inadvertent stall during gusting crosswind conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported a stall at low altitude while landing on runway 18 in gusty crosswinds, leading to a hard landing on the runway 36 overrun. Damage included a buckled fuselage, bent empennage, and deformed left wing skin.

Incident Details

During a landing attempt on runway 18, the pilot encountered variable crosswinds with gusty conditions. He mentioned that wind shear or tailwinds may have been present. The airplane stalled at an altitude of 5 to 8 feet above the runway and subsequently landed hard on the overrun for runway 36. The pilot reported that no mechanical issues were present with the airplane.

Damage

An FAA inspector examined the airplane after the event and documented structural damage: the fuselage was buckled, the empennage was bent downward, and the left wing upper skin was deformed.

Pilot Statement

The pilot described the landing conditions to an FAA inspector, noting the variable crosswinds and gusty environment, and the possibility of wind shear or tailwinds. He clarified that the airplane stalled at very low altitude and impacted the overrun area.

Contributing factors

Causes

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome