# Accident 20050428009069A: Piper PA20, Thomaston, GA, April 28, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 28, 2005, 09:35 local time
- Place: Thomaston, GA
- Airport: Thomaston-Upson County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9547° N, 84.2631° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9547&lon=-84.2631&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7053K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7053K) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,500 total, 100 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL05LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05LA076) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050428009069A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON LANDING AT THOMASTON-UPSON COUNTY AIRPORT (OPN) RUNWAY 30, AIRCRAFT PULLED HARD LEFT AND DEPARTED RUNWYA APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AFTER LANDING. AIRCRAFT CAME IN CONTACT WITH PAPI LIGHTING SYSTEM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO EMPENNAGE. INVESTIGATION OF TAIL WHEEL STEERING COMPONENTS REVEALED RUDDER TO TAIL WHEEL STEERING ARM, PIPER AIRCRAFT PART NUMBER 485615, HAD BROKEN OFF AT POINT OF A PREVIOUS REPAIR.

## 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 ATL05LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05LA076), Apr 28, 2005: Piper PA-20 (N7053K), Thomaston, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The unapproved repair of the tailwheel rudder arm assembly, which resulted in an overload failure during touchdown and subsequent loss of control of the airplane and on-ground collision with an…

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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