Probable cause
The pilot’s improper landing flare and hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported that the airplane landed hard and bounced. He attempted to recover by flaring the nose up to bleed off energy as a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left of runway centerline. The pilot stated that during the hard landing he hit his head on the glareshield and momentarily lost consciousness. When he regained consciousness, the airplane was flying towards the trees located to the east of runway 17. The airplane collided with the trees and both wings separated from the fuselage; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage.
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA322 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Aug 14, 2024
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Chetek, Wisconsin
- Nearest airport
- Chetek Municipal/Southworth Ai (Y23)
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-32-260
- N-number
- N3613W
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1966
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.