What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 13, 2011, at approximately 11:00 CDT, the pilot of PA-28, N8346R, began to taxi away from the self-serve fuel pump at the Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport, Hot Springs, Arkansas, when the right main wheel contacted a stack of steel plates (used to cover large holes in roads so that cars can drive over them, such as in construction zones). This caused the airplane to turn right, regardless of how much left rudder pressure and power the pilot applied. The aircraft executed a sharp right turn, resulting in the propeller striking the tongue of a bush-hog and the right wing being pierced by a steel vertical square roof support for a shed that housed a large diesel generator. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane did not sustain "substantial" damage. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR part 91 only to "top" the fuel tanks in preparation for a trip a few days in the future. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 13, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 CDT, THE PILOT OF PA-28, N8346R, BEGAN TO TAXI AWAY FROM THE SELF-SERVE FUEL PUMP AT THE HOT SPRINGS MEMORIAL FIELD AIRPORT, HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL CONTACTED A STACK OF STEEL PLATES (USED TO COVER LARGE HOLES IN ROADS SO THAT CARS CAN DRIVE OVER THEM, SUCH AS IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES). THIS CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO TURN RIGHT, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH LEFT RUDDER PRESSURE AND POWER THE PILOT APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A SHARP RIGHT TURN, RESULTING IN THE PROPELLER STRIKING THE TONGUE OF A BUSH-HOG AND THE RIGHT WING BEING PIERCED BY A STEEL VERTICAL SQUARE ROOF SUPPORT FOR A SHED THAT HOUSED A LARGE DIESEL GENERATOR. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT SUSTAIN "SUBSTANTIAL" DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 ONLY TO "TOP" THE FUEL TANKS IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIP A FEW DAYS IN THE FUTURE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
Other reports on N8346R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.