PLT OF A PIPER PA28; WARRIOR DSNDED BELOW WX IN ORDER TO STAY VFR AND HEARD SOMETHING STRIKE THE L WING OF THE ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT A NEARBY CTLED ARPT WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC DUE TO RADIO MIKE PROB.

Date: 1996-10 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-landing-without-clearance|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

PLT OF A PIPER PA28; WARRIOR DSNDED BELOW WX IN ORDER TO STAY VFR AND HEARD SOMETHING STRIKE THE L WING OF THE ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT A NEARBY CTLED ARPT WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC DUE TO RADIO MIKE PROB.

Narrative

WHILE ON A FLT FROM NEWNAN; GA; TO OCALA; FL; I REALIZED FROM WX ADVISORIES THAT THE FLT MAY HAVE TO DIVERT OR LAND AND WAIT FOR BETTER FLYING CONDITIONS. APPROX 15-20 NM N OF VALDOSTA; THE SOUND OF SOMETHING STRIKING THE L WINGTIP WAS HEARD. THIS WAS AFTER A DSCNT WAS MADE TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO MY POS AND INDICATED ALT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE AREA. NONETHELESS; I MADE A COURSE TO THE NEAREST CTLED FIELD THAT HAD SVCS. THE ACFT WAS FULLY CTLABLE BUT MY TRAINING AND FEELINGS TOLD ME TO LAND ASAP. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT VALDOSTA CTL TWR ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS; BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO BREAK SQUELCH (POSSIBLY A STUCK MIKE); SO I CIRCLED THE ARPT AT 1500 FT ABOVE PATTERN ALT. MY ALT WAS 3000 FT AS I BEGAN TO REDUCE PWR AND LOSE ALT ON THE XWIND LEG. I CONTINUED TO LOSE ALT ON DOWNWIND LEG AND I FOLLOWED PROC FOR NO MIKE IN A CTLED FIELD. I WAS ABEAM THE TWR WHEN I ROCKED MY WINGS FOR RECOGNITION. NO LIGHT SIGNAL WAS ISSUED AND THERE WAS NO TFC SO I LANDED THE ACFT. THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. I ASKED THE FIRE AND RESCUE GENTLEMAN TO OPEN THE GATE AND LET ME INFORM THE TWR OF MY PROBS. HE SAID THAT THE TWR WAS CLOSED SO I THOUGHT I LANDED AT AN UNCTLED FIELD. I HAVE SINCE TRIED TO CLR THIS UP WITH THE TWR PERSONNEL.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.