ANNAPOLIS, MD, USA
N8119P
Piper PA-28-161
The airplane was on a final approach, when the sink rate suddenly increased. The pilot applied more power, but the sink rate was not adequately arrested. The airplane hit a sign, rotated to the right, landed to the right of the runway, then collided with a chain link fence. Winds at the time were from 10 degrees to the left of the runway, at 18, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot's total flight time was about 125 hours.
On November 29, 1999, about 1220 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8119P, was substantially damaged when it landed short of the runway at Lee Airport (ANP), Annapolis, Maryland. The certificated private pilot was uninjured, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, from Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY), Salisbury, Maryland, to Lee Airport. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he was on a final approach to Runway 30, at an airspeed of about 65 knots, with two notches of flaps selected. As he approached the runway, the airplane's sink rate increased. He applied more power, but the sink rate was not adequately arrested. The airplane hit a sign, rotated to the right, landed to the right of the runway, then collided with a chain link fence. The pilot stated: "It is my conclusion that the wind suddenly eased, reducing airspeed and lift, allowing the plane to sink faster and hit the sign. I probably should have anticipated this, and made a steeper and faster approach...." The pilot had about 125 hours of flight time. Weather at an airport 14 nautical miles to the north, about 25 minutes prior to the accident, included winds from 290 degrees magnetic, at 18, gusting to 25 knots.
The pilot's failure to adequately adjust engine power to compensate for the winds on final approach.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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