Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Rockport, Texas, June 2, 2007
On June 2, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4977S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockport, Texas (Aransas County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's delayed actions to abort a wheels-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rockport, Texas · Aransas County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4977S · registry record · serial 28R-35696
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 196-hour private pilot stated that upon touchdown the airplane felt "spongy or squirrelly" and a propeller strike occurred. The pilot added that after touchdown, he pulled back on the controls to raise the nose of the airplane. When the airplane settled back on the runway, it immediately "pulled to the right," and the right wing struck and came to rest on the runway. Examination of the airframe revealed an approximately a one-foot square hole on the upper wing skin of the right wing with the support structure of the right landing gear protruding-up and through the wing skin. An inspection of the wing did not find any rust/corrosion on the landing gear strut or surrounding structure and there was no evidence of premature failure of the landing gear strut attachment points. The left main and nose landing gear were in the down and locked position. A check of the runway found propeller strike marks 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway and about 6 inches to the right of the runway centerline. In the area of the propeller marks, portions of the propeller seals and rings were found. No other scrapes or marks were found in this area, relating to the airplane. About 1,000 feet further down the runway, on the right side and prior to the right wingtip scar, was a landing gear tire scuffmark. Photographs taken of the airplane reveal that, with the left main and nose wheel landing gear extended, it is not possible for the airplane's 3-blade propeller to make contact with the ground. The investigation determined that the landing gear was in the retracted position when the propeller strikes occurred, and the landing gear was extended when the pilot raised the nose. The right main landing gear strut was pushed through the top of the wing during the subsequent hard landing. The airport manager reported that the runway's surface was totally resurfaced less than 3 months prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 196 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 111 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAZ New Braunfels TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: RKP Rockport TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,608 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from RKP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.