No fatalities

17 Nov 2018: Piper PA32R 301 — 335 Aviation LLC — Versailles, OH

Versailles, OH, United States

On 17 Nov 2018, a Piper PA32R 301 operated by 335 Aviation LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Versailles, OH. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in landing on the landing gear first and a subsequent loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and impact with a tree and a fence during an attempted go-around. 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

During a landing attempt in haze, the airplane touched down nose-first, veered off the runway, and during a subsequent go-around struck a tree and the airport perimeter fence. The left wing sustained substantial damage.

Incident Details

The aircraft owner hired a pilot to fly him to the destination airport. On the initial approach, haze prevented the pilot and owner from seeing the airport environment, though both could see the ground. The pilot continued navigating using GPS. After passing over the airport, the runway became visible. The pilot then performed a 180-degree turn to align for a final approach to runway 27.

Landing and Go-Around

The approach to runway 27 was not stabilized, so the pilot initiated a go-around. After climbing out, the pilot turned 180 degrees for a final approach to runway 09. During the landing on runway 09, the airplane touched down with the nose landing gear first. It immediately veered left and exited the runway. The pilot then attempted another go-around, but the airplane struck a tree and subsequently impacted the airport perimeter fence.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The owner reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Landing flare — Not attained/maintainedPilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation