20031109028819A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Westfield, MA · November 9, 2003

Date: November 9, 2003 · 09:27 local
Place: Westfield, MA
Airport: Barnes Municipal
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3194Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04CA031
Reported as: Piper PA18
Reported engine: Continental C90*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 404 total404 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N3194ZRegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 18-7190 · Built 1959 Airframe modelPiper PA-18 Engine modelContinental C90 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft landed at Westfield, MA runway 20. After touch down and on roll out pilot stated a gust of wind lifted left wing causing the right wing to impact the ground and putting him into a ground loop. The aircraft then struck a taxiway sign with the left wing strut at the intersection of runway 20 and taxiway hotel. Marks on runway indicate that prior to left wing strut hitting taxiway sign the aircraft yawed to the right and the left wing tip contacted the runway for approx. 8 feet. After hitting the sign the aircraft ground looped 360 degrees to the left, the right wing impacted the taxiway bending the aft wing spar and breaking the right main wheel. Aircraft damage consisted of damage to the left and right wing tips, right wing aft spar, left wing fwd & aft strut and right main wheel. Weather reported winds to be variable at 5 to 10 knots from the northwest at 300 degrees resulting in a quartering tail wind.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT LANDED AT WESTFIELD, MA RUNWAY 20. AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND ON ROLL OUT PILOT STATED A GUST OF WIND LIFTED LEFT WING CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO IMPACT THE GROUND AND PUTTING HIM INTO A GROUND LOOP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN WITH THE LEFT WING STRUT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 20 AND TAXIWAY HOTEL. MARKS ON RUNWAY INDICATE THAT PRIOR TO LEFT WING STRUT HITTING TAXIWAY SIGN THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE RUNWAY FOR APPROX. 8 FEET. AFTER HITTING THE SIGN THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED 360 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED THE TAXIWAY BENDING THE AFT WING SPAR AND BREAKING THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE CONSISTED OF DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING TIPS, RIGHT WING AFT SPAR, LEFT WING FWD & AFT STRUT AND RIGHT MAIN WHEEL. WEATHER REPORTED WINDS TO BE VARIABLE AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 300 DEGREES RESULTING IN A QUARTERING TAIL WIND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC04CA031Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWestfield, MAThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing.Nov 9, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3194Z · 1

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

Accident 19790723021629ATakeoff Ground Roll · Spruce Head, MEAttempted takeoff. Float hit sea swell after liftoff. Broke off float. Acft hit water.Jul 23, 1979 · Substantial damage