MIA94LA041

Factual narrative

On December 25, 1993, about 1416 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N2872D, registered to Robert O'Conner dba O'Conner Flying Service, was substantially damaged while landing at the Fulton County Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for a flight from Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Huntsville, Alabama. The private-rated pilot and four passengers were not injured. The flight originated at 1147. The pilot elected to deviate to an alternate airport due to adverse weather ahead on the route of flight. While in the traffic pattern for landing on runway 26 at the alternate airport, the pilot advised the controller that he had the current ATIS information "India" which indicated that the winds were from 280 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 18 knots. The flight was cleared to land and the pilot was advised by the controller that the wind was from 290 degrees at 12 knots. The pilot acknowledged this and stated that he lowered only 10 degrees of flaps for landing due to the wind gusts. The pilot stated that just before touchdown the airspeed decreased 10 knots and the airplane landed hard on the nose landing gear. The airplane began to porpoise and the pilot did not apply power to go-around. The nose landing gear collapsed on the second landing and the airplane then came to rest. THE PILOT DEVIATED DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER AND WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 AT THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ADVISED HE HAD ATIS INFORMATION 'INDIA.' THE WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 18 KNOTS. THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED TO LAND AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE CONTROLLER THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND STATED THAT JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRSPEED DECREASED 10 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE THEN LANDED HARD ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR AND BEGAN TO PORPOISE. THE PILOT DID NOT APPLY POWER TO GO-AROUND AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12