NTSB Factual Report

On August 19, 2002, about 1320 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260, N9030P, was substantially damaged while landing at the New Bedford Regional Airport (EWB), New Bedford, Massachusetts. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the private pilot, a biennial flight review was being conducted, which was to include a short field landing. The CFI instructed the him to plan on completing the landing, to a full stop, prior to the third centerline stripe. While on final approach to runway 14, with the private pilot at the controls, the airplane was slowed "close to stall." When it appeared that the airplane was not going to make the runway, the CFI advised the pilot to add power. Unable to recover from the descent with power, the airplane touched down in a grass area 15 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane continued onto the runway, where the nose landing gear sheared from the fuselage, and the main landing gear collapsed.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane after the accident, and observed substantial damage to the left wing spar.

The winds reported at EWB, about the time of the accident, were variable at 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, and the CFI's delay in remedial action.