NTSB LAX08CA035 — 2007-12-06 · Fallbrook, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N44528

Make / Model: PIPER PA-28-180
Year of manufacture: 1974 · 33 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19740807
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A55FEF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N44528 Piper PA-28-180 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's misjudged distance and altitude that led to an undershoot and a failure to obtain the proper touchdown point.

Factual narrative

While on approach for landing, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The pilot attempted to arrest the sink rate by applying full power; however, the airplane landed hard and short of runway 18, damaging surrounding vegetation and a runway edge light. After the hard landing the pilot was able to get the airplane airborne again and he decided to return to his home base airport. During the flight back to his home airport the left wheel and strut fell from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the main gear attach points and the adjacent structure. While on approach for landing, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The pilot attempted to arrest the sink rate by applying full power; however, the airplane landed hard and short of the runway, damaging surrounding vegetation and a runway edge light. After the hard landing the pilot was able to get the airplane airborne again and he decided to return to his home base airport. During the flight back to his home airport the left wheel and strut fell from the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_LAX08CA035.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.