- Date
- October 7, 2010, 20:09 local (Oct 8, 2010, 00:09 UTC)
- Place
- Richmond, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N38205Piper PA-32R-300
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20101007047969A
- Case key
- 77557
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 diverted attention to a landing gear indicator light that led to a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with terrain while taxiing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During an after-landing taxi on a closed and unbarricaded taxiway, the pilot noticed a flickering landing gear indicator light. When the pilot diverted his attention to the indicator light, the airplane veered off the closed taxiway and into a drainage ditch that was under construction adjacent to the taxiway. A notice to airman (NOTAM) for the taxiway closure had been issued and was also known by the pilot.
Factual narrative
During an after landing taxi on a closed and unbarricaded taxiway, the pilot noticed a flickering landing gear indicator light. When the pilot diverted his attention to the indicator light, the airplane veered off the closed taxiway and into a drainage ditch that was under construction adjacent to the taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage, which included damage to the firewall, the right rear landing gear spar, and buckling of the right wing. The pilot was uninjured. A notice to airman (NOTAM) for the taxiway closure was issued and was also known by the pilot. The airport operations manager initially told Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that there were no NOTAMs issued pertaining to the taxiway closure. Upon completion of the FAA's on-scene documentation, the airport manager was asked whether there was a NOTAM issued to which the airport operations manager stated that there was a NOTAM for general construction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38205
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7780403
- Airframe hours
- 4,844.41
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-K1A5D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Aeroplus Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2009
- Departed
- CEV · Connersville, IN
- Destination
- RID · Richmond, IN
- Airport
- RID · Richmond Municipal Airport
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 12, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 663 total · 175 in this make and model · 624 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- MWO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 606 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N38205 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.