Piper PA-32-260 N44588 accident near Sebastian, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

At the end of the local flight, the pilot completed a straight-in approach to his home airport for landing. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared slower than normal during the landing approach and that the wings were wobbling. The airplane touched down on its nose landing gear and bounced back into the air as the pilot simultaneously increased engine power. The left wing dropped and the airplane descended off the side of the runway, impacted terrain, and cartwheeled before coming to rest.

Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The witness statements, debris path, and impact signatures were consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during while attempting to recover from the bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23FA185 for the full record.