# Accident 20090409004749A: Piper PA20, Wilkes-Barre/S, PA, April 9, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2009, 17:54 local time
- Place: Wilkes-Barre/S, PA
- Airport: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3364° N, 75.7206° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3364&lon=-75.7206&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7653K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7653K-2024-08-10) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 328 total, 2 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA246) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090409004749A

## Narrative

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

(-23)  PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO GET SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE.  HE HAD TAKEN OFF ON RUNWAY 22 AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 300' ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN PILOT NOTIFIED ATC HE WAS RETURNING FOR LANDING, BECAUSE OF SMOKE.  WHILE TOUCHING DOWN ON RUNWAY 22, A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO CONTACT THE RUNWAY.  AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND LEFT ELEVATOR.  REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 240 DEGREES @ 11 TO 14 KNOTS.

## 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 ERA09CA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA246), Apr 9, 2009: Piper PA20 (N7653K), Scranton, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. Contributing to the accident was the distraction of smoke in the cockpit.

## Other reports on N7653K (1)

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

- [Incident 20160213000799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160213000799I), Feb 13, 2016: Piper PA-20 (N7653K), Evansville, TN, No damage. Engine failed in cruise flight. Engine had a large hole in nose section of engine case. Several large cracks were documented.

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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