- Date
- September 24, 2011, 12:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place
- Texarkana, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N991TFPiper PA-28-181
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110924021289A
- Case key
- 81965
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 while landing with a crosswind.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot approached the runway at a higher-than-normal airspeed, resulting in the airplane floating down the runway. While he attempted to bleed off airspeed, the pilot did not correct for a crosswind and the airplane drifted to the right. The airplane touched down on the grass adjacent to the runway then ran up onto a taxiway, where the right main and nose gear collapsed. The right wing also struck the ground and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot approached the runway at a higher than normal airspeed resulting in the airplane floating down the runway. While he attempted to bleed off airspeed, the pilot did not correct for a crosswind and the airplane drifted to the right. The airplane touched down on the grass adjacent to the runway then ran up onto a taxiway. The right main and nose gear collapsed. The right wing also struck the ground and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N991TF
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7690169
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Texarkana Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Texarkana Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TXK · Texarkana, AR
- Destination
- TXK · Texarkana, AR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- TXK · Texarkana, runway 22
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 202 total · 201 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Observed at
- TXK
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 28, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 71 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.