NYC93LA132

Factual narrative

On Sunday, June 27, 1993, at about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA 30, N7563Y, piloted by William Dixon, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, struck the top of truck trailer while on final approach to Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot indicated that he was on final approach to the runway, flying the visual glideslope indicator. As the airplane crossed a road, the right main gear of the airplane struck a truck trailer. The pilot did not think there was much damage until landing, when the right wing settled to the runway. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA Inspector revealed the right main gear had sheared off and that the right wing and propeller were damaged. THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT WHERE A MAJOR HIGHWAY CROSSES UNDER THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT FELT SOME TURBULENCE, ADDED POWER TO CORRECT FOR A SLIGHT SINKING AND MADE A NORMAL FLARE. APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY THE RIGHT WING SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS, ON THE HIGHWAY, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY A FLAT APPROACH ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, AND THE LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRPLANE STRIKE A MOVING TRUCK TRAILER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING WHEEL MISSING AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED INWARD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12