Piper PA 32R accident near Cape Carteret, North Carolina, May 14, 2018
On May 14, 2018 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1981 Piper PA 32R, registered N25WE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cape Carteret, North Carolina (Star Hill Golf Club 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s steep approach, which resulted in a hard landing and the collapse of the landing gear during touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2018 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cape Carteret, North Carolina · Star Hill Golf Club · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 32R 300, built 1981 · all PA 32Rs on the register
- Registration
- N25WE · registry record · serial 32R-8113039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the retractable-landing gear-equipped airplane, he set up for an extended final approach to the sandy turf runway. He waited until he cleared the trees and "then…dropped down to land." The main landing gear touched down first, followed by the nose landing gear. The main and nose landing gear collapsed upon contact with the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane slid about 300 ft before it came to a stop on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site reported that witnesses stated that the pilot landed the airplane hard on the sandy turf surface. However, the pilot stated that he did not. However, the pilot did state that he really had to bring the airplane in steep over the trees to get it on the runway. Photographs provided by the operator showed vertical deformation of both wings at the main landing gear mount location.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 425 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 13, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,025 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 15, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 275 hours total
- Operator: Axiom Capital Solutions LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BUY Burlington NC at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 60NC Cape Carteret NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 06, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from KNJM, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA281.