- Date
- July 19, 1992, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Pikesville, KY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N75255Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920719025969A
- Case key
- 8747
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 during the landing, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's improper flare. And objects near the runway.
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
The pilot reported that during the landing, he flared too high, and although he increased power to correct, the airplane landed hard. The airplane then veered left, exited the side of the runway, and struck trees and a parked vehicle. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On July 19, 1992 at about 1145 edt, N75255, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, a personal flight, crashed while landing at Pikeville County Regional Airport/Hatcher Field, Pikeville, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions existed. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot was returning to the airport after an hour flight. During the landing the airplane went off the left side of the runway. The airplane struck trees and a parked vehicle.
According to the pilot, "All phases of the approach were normal. Approaching runway 20. I flared a little high and added a little power for touch down. The plane landed hard on to the runway and veered to the left side of the runway. After the plane left the runway, I applied brakes and skidded (about) 200 to 300 feet down the left side of the runway.
"I managed to bring the plane back nearly parallel to the runway when the left wing came in contact with some small trees and then a larger one, causing the plane to turn left, and as it did the right wing came in contact with a tractor mower, and then came to a stop." The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75255
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7690318
- Airframe hours
- 3,582
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Twin Eagle Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Twin Eagle Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 1992 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- 7K0
- Destination
- 7K0 · KY
- Airport
- 7K0 · Pike County Regional, runway 20, 3,550 × 75 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 122 total · 3 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.