NTSB Factual Report

On January 15, 2002, at 1800 central standard time, a Bellanca 17-30 airplane, N7388V, was substantially damaged when it undershot the runway while landing at the Hale County Airport, Plainview, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from Moreno Valley, California, made a fuel stop in St. Johns, Arizona, and was destined for Plainview.

According to the pilot, he set up for landing on runway 22 (5,997' X 100'). The pilot stated that he set up the approach so that the airplane would touch down on the numbers. Following a "normal pattern," the pilot flared the airplane and it landed 12 feet short of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane's nose landing gear contacted the lip at the approach end of the runway and collapsed. The airplane then slid down the runway along the runway centerline and came to a stop upright.

The FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, stated that the fuselage, right wing spar, and all three landing gear assemblies sustained structural damage.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, sunset and the end of civil twilight, for Plainview, Texas, occurred at 1749 and 1817, respectively.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath, which resulted in landing short of the runway.