# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-20: Loss of control on ground

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA105.md): Piper PA-20 · Three Forks, MT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 13, 2026 · N1491A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional during the landing roll with a variable wind.
- [NTSB ANC25LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA093.md): Piper PA-20 · Anchorage, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 23, 2025 · N7050K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB CEN25LA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA259.md): Piper PA-20 · Oshkosh, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 18, 2025 · N7369K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s aggressive brake application which resulted in a loss of directional control and a ground loop.
- [NTSB WPR21LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA281.md): Piper PA-20 · Cascade, ID · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 18, 2021 · N2712A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ANC21LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA021.md): Piper PA-20 · Anchorage, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 6, 2021 · N7054K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusty tailwind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose down.
- [NTSB ANC20CA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA082.md): Piper PA 20 · Talkeetna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Aug 18, 2020 · N1526A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop.
- [NTSB CEN20CA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA161.md): Piper PA 20 · Colorado Springs, CO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 26, 2020 · N1598A · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent loss of directional control.
- [NTSB GAA19CA408](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA408.md): Piper PA 20 · Hamilton, MT · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 12, 2019 · N7409K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of directional control due to his unintentional use of brakes instead of the rudder during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over.
- [NTSB GAA19CA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA293.md): Piper PA 20 · Canandaigua, NY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 6, 2019 · N7046K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
- [NTSB GAA18CA426](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA426.md): Piper PA 20 · Dayton, OH · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 14, 2018 · N7492K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for variable crosswind conditions during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
- [NTSB GAA18CA441](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA441.md): Piper PA · East Sound, WA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 17, 2018 · N11YB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in a gusting, left quartering headwind.
- [NTSB GAA15CA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA273.md): Piper PA 20 · Marshfield, MA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 19, 2015 · N6932K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR15LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA190.md): Piper PA 20 · Yellow Pine, ID · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 18, 2015 · N6939K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's delayed decision to go around after realizing that the airplane’s airspeed and altitude were too high, which resulted in an inadequate flare and bounced landing and a subsequent go-around in high-density altitude conditions.
- [NTSB WPR13CA372](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA372.md): Piper PA-20 · Aurora, OR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 14, 2013 · N6939K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground-loop.
- [NTSB ERA12LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA287.md): Piper PA-20 · Cross Keys, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 13, 2012 · N7001K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the overstress and subsequent failure of the right main landing gear assembly.
- [NTSB ANC09CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09CA107.md): Piper PA-20 · Fairbanks, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 27, 2009 · N5540A · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's decision to attempt an off-airport landing and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
- [NTSB WPR09CA435](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA435.md): Piper PA-20 · Bozeman, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 5, 2009 · N1544A · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilot receiving instruction to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll and the flight instructor's delayed corrective action.
- [NTSB WPR09CA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA257.md): Piper PA-20 · Glendale, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 20, 2009 · N1591A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll out.
- [NTSB ERA09CA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA246.md): Piper PA20 · Scranton, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 9, 2009 · N7653K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. Contributing to the accident was the distraction of smoke in the cockpit.
- [NTSB ERA09CA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA023.md): Piper PA-20 · Albertville, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 19, 2008 · N7324K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll.
- [NTSB LAX08CA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA255.md): Piper PA-20 · Grass Valley, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 3, 2008 · N7635K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control due to his foot slipping off one rudder pedal while braking.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7102002')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '230' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence?model=7102002

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