Piper PA32 N3645W accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma

Probable cause

The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the flaps while landing which resulted in a hard landing and loss of directional control.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, while landing, the flaps were inadvertently retracted from the full position. The airplane touched down abruptly on the right side of the runway and headed off the runway toward the runway safety area. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder but overcorrected and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The pilot reported he then attempted a go-around but was not able to establish enough airspeed to become airborne, so he aborted the maneuver. During the runway excursion, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 1R in a variable wind of 5 knots, gusting to 20 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA122 for the full record.