- Date
- March 24, 2007, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4988LPiper PA-28A-180C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO-11
- Case key
- 65527
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing with a flat main tire.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the short cross-country flight t was uneventful. Upon landing at the destination airport, the airplane began to drift to the left during roll out. He added right rudder pressure to control the drift, however as the airspeed reduced, the weight shifted from the wings to the landing gear, and directional control became difficult. The airplane drifted off the runway and the left wing struck an airport sign. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed that the left main tire was flat. Examination of the left wing and left main tire by an FAA inspector revealed that the left wing had rib and spar damage. Further examination of the left main tire revealed it was flat, and unable to retain air when filled.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot he was on a short cross-country flight to the Fulton County Airport, Atlanta, Georgia. The flight was uneventful, and he conducted a visual approach to runway 26. The touchdown was normal, however the airplane began to drift to the left during landing roll out. He added right rudder pressure to control the drift, however as the airspeed reduced, the weight shifted from the wings to the landing gear, and directional control became difficult. The airplane drifted off the runway and the left wing struck an airport sign. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed that the left main tire was flat. Examination of the left wing and left main tire by an FAA inspector revealed that the left wing had rib and spar damage. Further examination of the left main tire revealed it was flat, and unable to retain air when filled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4988L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28A-180C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4362
- Airframe hours
- 3,205
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dennis J Walter
- Registered owner
- Wade A Tucker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2007 · 3,200 hours before
- Departed
- EQY · Monroe, NC
- Destination
- FTY · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FTY · Fulton County Airport-Brown Fi, runway 26, 5,796 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 337 total · 280 in this make and model · 273 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KFTY