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ERA24LA035

2023-11-04 · Tompkinsville, Kentucky, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport TZV

Current FAA registration · N4056Z

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1963 · 60 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4C276

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in a hard landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot was practicing an emergency descent and landing when he deployed full wing flaps and descended to the touchdown point. About 10 to 15 ft above ground level, the airplane encountered a rapid sink rate that he failed to arrest. The airplane touched down hard, and the fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that, upon reflection, if he had added the power and extended the airplane’s glide path, he might have been in a better position for landing; however, he allowed the airplane to get “too slow.” The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_ERA24LA035.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

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