AN SMA PLT HIT AN UNCHARTED BOX ON LNDG AT AN UNATTENDED ARPT.
Synopsis
AN SMA PLT HIT AN UNCHARTED BOX ON LNDG AT AN UNATTENDED ARPT.
Narrative
LNDG ON RWY 7 (1792 FT). IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO LNDG FLARE; AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 145 FT FROM RWY THRESHOLD; ALONG THE EXTENDED RWY CTRLINE; AT A HT OF APPROX 8 FT ABOVE THE RWY SURFACE; THE LOWERMOST 6 INCHES OF THE R LNDG GEAR STRUCK AN ELEVATED OBSTRUCTION. AIRSPD WAS APPROX 65 KTS. ESTIMATED WIND WAS FROM 080 DEGS AT 5-10 KTS. ACFT WAS WINGS LEVEL; SLIGHTLY NOSE UP; FULL (40 DEGS) FLAPS SET. APPROX 1 1/2 SECONDS AFTER STRIKING THE OBSTRUCTION; THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROX 25 FT DOWN THE RWY ALONG THE CTRLINE. THE ACFT LANDED ON THE MAIN GEAR; WINGS LEVEL; SLIGHT NOSE UP. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN; THE R GEAR COLLAPSED. THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT DROPPED AS IT RODE ON THE REMAINDER OF THE R GEAR STRUT AND A GND LOOP STARTED TO DEVELOP. I HELD FULL AFT ELEVATOR AND FULL L RUDDER IN ATTEMPTING TO KEEP THE ACFT STRAIGHT. HOWEVER; THE PLANE VEERED TO THE R AND RAIN OFF THE RWY ONTO THE RWY APRON AND THEN INTO HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS; COMING TO A SOFT STOP APPROX 270 FT FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND EVACED THE ACFT. THE OBSTRUCTION THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK WAS A METAL ELECTRICAL PANEL BOX; MEASURING APPROX 2 1/2 FT HIGH BY 2 1/2 FT WIDE BY 8 INCHES DEEP; MOUNTED ON 2 SUPPORT POSTS. THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE PROJECTED APPROX 4 FT ABOVE THE GND. THE MOUNTING SITE IS A MOUND OF SAND ELEVATED APPROX 4 FT ABOVE THE RWY SURFACE. THE TOTAL OBSTRUCTION HT IS APPROX 8 FT ABOVE THE RWY SURFACE. THE SITE IS COVERED WITH HIGH BEACH GRASS AND WEEDS WHICH OBSCURE ANY VIEW OF THE OBSTRUCTION. A RED OBSTRUCTION LIGHT WAS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE BOX; BUT WAS NOT LIGHTED AT THE TIME. THE BOX WAS A DULL METAL COLOR WITH NO MARKINGS. THE OBSTRUCTION IS NOT CHARTED OR NOTED ON THE COMMERCIAL ARPT DIAGRAM; WHICH I REVIEWED BEFORE AND DURING THE FLT. I BELIEVE THAT THE EVENT WAS CAUSED BY THE LOCATION OF A HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION IN CLOSE PROX TO THE THRESHOLD OF A SHORT RWY ALONG THE RWY CTRLINE. I BELIEVE THAT RECURRENCE CAN BE PREVENTED BY: 1) RELOCATING THE OBSTRUCTION 50 FT TO THE L OR R. 2) PROMINENTLY MARKING THE OBSTRUCTION FOR DAYTIME VISIBILITY. 3) REMOVING THE WEEDS/GRASS/SHRUBS WHICH SURROUND THE OBSTRUCTION. 4) CHARTING/NOTATING OBSTRUCTION ON ARPT DIAGRAM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR STATES THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST TRIP INTO 0B8. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHY THIS BOX IS LOCATED RIGHT ON THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF THE RWY. THE BOX WAS MOUNTED ON BREAKAWAY POSTS INDICATING THAT SOMEONE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEING HIT IN THE FUTURE. A NEW YORK STATE TROOPER INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT. THE ARPT WAS UNATTENDED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT; IN BTWN FBO'S. THE FAA WILL GIVE HIM A CHK RIDE TO TEST HIS COMPETENCY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE ACFT HAS BEEN REPAIRED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.