# NTSB ATL02LA149: Piper PA-32R-301, N957T, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, August 1, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 1, 2002, 13:47 local (17:47 UTC) - Place: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Coordinates: 26.197221, -80.170555 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1972&lon=-80.1706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Ft. Lauderdale FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55417 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA149 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55417/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55417 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA149 ## Probable cause Pilot in command failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll that resulted in a ground loop and the overload failure of the right main landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,main gear - overload - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis According to the private pilot, as he applied braking action during rollout, the airplane began to veer left. Although he added right rudder to correct the problem, he was not able to stop the airplane from veering to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane spun around approximately 180 degrees, coming to rest on the runway surface. Examination of the airplane revealed a significant amount of side load had occurred, and both the left and right main landing gears collapsed to the left. The right wing was damaged when the landing gear collapsed. There were several tire marks on the runway that terminated at the point where the airplane rested. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to and during the accident sequence of events. ## Factual narrative On August 1, 2002, at 1347 eastern daylight tine a Piper PA-32R-301, N957T, registered to B & B Contracting and operated by a private pilot, right main landing gear collapsed while taxiing after landing at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Naples, Florida, at 1300 on August 1, 2001. According to the private pilot, as he applied braking action during rollout after landing the airplane began to veer left. Although the pilot added right rudder to correct the problem, he was not able to stop the airplane from veering to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane spun around approximately 180 degrees, coming to rest on the runway surface with a heading of 130 degrees. Examination of the airplane revealed a significant amount of side load had occurred, and both the left and right main landing gear collapsed to the left as a result. The right wing was damaged when the landing gear collapsed. There were several tire marks on the runway that terminated at the point where the airplane rested. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to and during the accident sequence of events. The recorded winds were variable at three knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N957T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N957T), registered now, S/N 3246176, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32R-301 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301) (registry code 7103218) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3246176 - Airframe hours: 418 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2002, 30 hours before - Departed: APF, Naples, FL - Destination: FXE, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FXE, Fort Lauderdale Executive, runway 310, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 418 total, 300 in this make and model, 418 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: FXE ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020801020249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020801020249A), Aug 1, 2002: Piper PA32R301, Ft Lauderdale, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 1, 2002 at about 1345 EDT a Piper PA-32R-301, registered to b & b contracting inc., experienced a collapse of the right main gear on landing at… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 22, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55417. 301 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 301 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465780&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.