# Accident 19980816020909A: Piper PA20, Rio Vista, CA, August 16, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 1998, 12:45 local time
- Place: Rio Vista, CA
- Airport: Rio Vista Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.1805° N, 121.7300° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1805&lon=-121.7300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1540A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1540A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-20 (registry code 7102002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA20
- Reported engine: LYC O290D2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,292 total, 270 in this make and model, 267 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA266) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980816020909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND ON LANDING, LOST CONTROL, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THE WIND CONDITION AS VARIABLE AND GUSTY. ON THE LANDING ROLLOUT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED AFTER STANDING VERTICALLY ON ITS NOSE.                                                               (-23) AFTER LANDING AT THE RIO VISAT AIRPORT, DURING ROLL OUT, THE PILOT OF THE TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT RELAXED ON THE CONTROLS EARLY. A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO WEATHER VANE AND AS THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, HE APPLIED TOO MUCH BRAKING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER AND COME TO REST INVERTED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA266), Aug 16, 1998: Piper PA-20 (N1540A), Rio Vista, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the existing wind condition and maintain directional control on rollout.

## Other reports on N1540A (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19940715018589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940715018589A), Jul 15, 1994: Piper PA20 (N1540A), Easton, WA, Substantial damage. Precautionary landing on rough soft landing strip due weather. Lost control. Swerved. Collapsed landing gear.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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