Piper PA28 N9097W accident near Louisville, Kentucky

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper flare to land, which resulted in a hard landing and the nose landing gear collapsing.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was on the return leg of a two-leg flight. While on final approach of the airport traffic pattern for runway 24 with the reported wind from 280° at 7 knots, the pilot descended using the visual approach slope indicator for reference with no "irregular indications of plane operation." He continued the approach maintaining 85 knots to the threshold, then, after crossing the threshold, he began to slow to 70 knots. When in ground effect with no stall speed annunciation, the flaps set to 25°, and pitch trim set to neutral, he began to flare the airplane, when suddenly the nose “jerked down” and he was unable to physically manipulate the control yoke. The airplane impacted the runway causing collapse of the nose landing gear and down displacement of the right wing, consistent with a hard landing. Based on automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data, the average calculated groundspeed was 81 knots for the last 30 seconds of the flight, which was well above the published stall speed with flaps extended.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed impact damage to the lower portion of the control column which caused binding of the stabilator flight control system with a flight instrument. Although the stabilator flight control cable tension was 2 pounds less than the specified value, that likely would not have resulted in an uncommanded nose-down pitch. Despite the pilot’s claim that he was unable to manipulate the control yoke, no pre-impact anomalies were noted during the examination that would have contributed to a hard landing. The accident is consistent with the pilot improperly flaring the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20LA053 for the full record.