Piper PA-24-250 N7531P accident near Shirley, New York

Probable cause

The pilot’s excessive speed during the final approach, which resulted in a collision with a fence during the subsequent aborted landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the enroute portion of the cross-country flight was uneventful. He set up for an approach the 4,200-ft-long runway. He stated that he landed at the normal touchdown point, about 1,000 feet down the runway. When he applied wheel brakes, they did not respond enough to sufficiently slow the airplane. He then elected to abort the landing, but the airplane did not obtain enough lift and settled back toward the ground. The airplane contacted a perimeter fence and came to a stop in a grassy area. The pilot and the three passengers exited the airplane without injury and were met by first responders. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that there was substantial damage to the airplane’s wings, fuselage, and empennage.

When asked to provide additional information about the wheel brakes, the pilot reported that he did not have an opinion either way whether the brakes malfunctioned. The FAA reported that damage to the airframe precluded a functional check of the brake system.

A review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast track data revealed that the airplane’s ground speed on final approach (about 625 feet from the runway) reached about 132 mph. The pilot’s operating handbook for the airplane specified an approach airspeed of 82 mph. Additionally, the weather conditions at the airport at the time of landing included 3-knot tailwind for the landing runway.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA350 for the full record.