# Accident 20180704015819A: Piper PA-28-180, Thomaston, GA, July 4, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 4, 2018, 10:30 local time
- Place: Thomaston, GA
- Airport: Thomaston-Upson County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9575° N, 84.2678° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9575&lon=-84.2678&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8314W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8314W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 75 total, 75 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA226) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180704015819A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 4 2018, I PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT WHILE AT 6A2 GRIFFIN GA. DEPARTED GRIFFIN ON RUNWAY 14 AT 8:58AM EASTERN TIME.   I DID A PRACTICE MIS APPROACH ON 14 AND THEN CAME BACK AROUND AND DID A FULL STOP LANDING. I TAXIED BACK TO 14 AND DEPARTED TO THE SOUTH ON A RIGHT TURN OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 1700FT. I THEN TOOK A HEADING OF 180 TO KOPN THOMASTON - UPSON COUNTY AIRPORT. I CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 3000 FT AND MADE A 45 ENTRY TO THE LEFT MIDFIELD DOWNWIND TO 12. THE WIND WAS 040 AT 5 VISIBILITY WAS 10 ALT 30.21 CLOUDS 8000BKN.  NO OTHER AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE PATTERN NOR ON THE GROUND TAXIING. I WAS AT 1800 FT ON THE DOWNWIND AND AT 85 MPH. I CALLED FOR A FULL STOP AND GO ON THE LANDING. I CLEARED THE BASE AND FINAL STILL WITH NO OTHER AIRCRAFT ON THE FIELD OR IN THE PATTERN. I WAS WITH FULL FLAPS AND APPROACH SPEED AT 75-80 ON FINAL. I DID NOT HAVE TO USE ANY CROSS CORRECTION ON MY FINAL APPROACH THE PLANE AND RUNWAY WAS LINED UP FINE FOR FINAL. I TURNED ON THE PAPI LIGHTS ON FINAL AND GLIDE WAS ON TRACK. I TOUCHED DOWN THE PLANE RIGHT ON THE NUMBERS AND IN THE CENTER OF RUNWAY WITH THE MAIN GEAR. WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN THE PLANE MADE AN ABRUPT TURN TO THE LEFT AND THE RUDDER DID NOT HELP TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT AT ALL. THE PLANES RIGHT WING TIP THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AS THE PLANE KEPT TURNING TO THE LEFT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE ANY CORRECTION TO THE DIRECTION TO THE PLANE. AS THE PLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY THE PROP STARTED TO STRIKE THE ASPHALT AND THE NOSE GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE CAME OFF THE PLANE AND ROLLED DOWN AND OFF THE RUNWAY IN FRONT OF THE PLANE. THE PLANE THEN EXITED THE RUNWAY AND INTO THE GRASS WITH THE RIGHT WING CATCHING ON THE GRASS AND THEN THE PLANE STOPPED. TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 9:30AM EASTERN TIME.

I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE PLANE AT THE TIME. NO INJURY TO MYSELF AT ALL. I THEN SHUT OFF THE FUEL, MASTER SWITCH, LIGHTS , MIXTURE LIEN , THROTTLE FULL OUT. I EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND MADE THE REPORTS VIA PHONE TO THE NTSB, AIRPORT MANAGER, 911 AND THE FAA.

END OF STATEMENT

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## 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 ERA18LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA226), Jul 4, 2018: Piper PA28 (N8314W), Thomaston, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A landing gear axle nut being pulled from the threads of the axle rod at an unknown time, which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during landing.

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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