Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point on landing, which resulted in a collision with the runway lip.
NTSB analysis
The pilot stated that he had a higher-than-normal sink rate on final approach. The airplane landed short, and the left main landing gear struck the lip of the runway. The airplane bounced, then settled back on the runway, and the left wing dropped. The airplane veered off the runway into the grass and the left landing gear fully collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot said that he was carrying two passengers and did not consider the extra weight in the airplane, and that he should have added power sooner to arrest the sink rate.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA210 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 28, 2021
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Friendly, Maryland
- Nearest airport
- Potomac Airfield (VKX)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-28-180
- N-number
- N32592
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1974
- 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.