20050312004449I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Little Falls, MN · March 12, 2005

Date: March 12, 2005 · 12:30 local
Place: Little Falls, MN
Airport: Little Falls/Morrison Co Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6551W
Reported as: Piper PA28140
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 32 total15 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N6551WRegistered now · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-20631 · Built 1965 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) Upon takeoff pilot reported that at approximately 40 to 50 mph, the aircraft was pulling to the left. Pilot reported that he applied right rudder with no effect. Pilot reported that he reduced the power and applied brakes to abort the takeoff. The aircraft exited the runway on the left side of the runway striking a snow bank. Impact with the snow bank caused the nose gear to collapse thus allowing the propeller to strike the ground. Inspection of the aircraft braking system revealed no obvious defects. Letter of no fly solo issued to pilot until further training and CFI authorization to solo again.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) UPON TAKEOFF PILOT REPORTED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 50 MPH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER WITH NO EFFECT. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE REDUCED THE POWER AND APPLIED BRAKES TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A SNOW BANK. IMPACT WITH THE SNOW BANK CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE THUS ALLOWING THE PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE GROUND. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BRAKING SYSTEM REVEALED NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS. LETTER OF NO FLY SOLO ISSUED TO PILOT UNTIL FURTHER TRAINING AND CFI AUTHORIZATION TO SOLO AGAIN.