CEN18CA058

NTSB accident investigation · Piaggio P.180 · Georgetown, TX · December 18, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
December 18, 2017, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
Place
Georgetown, TX
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N141JTPiaggio P.180
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 10, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
FAA report
20171218023269A
Case key
96522

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 inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and the right main landing gear collapsing.

Findings · 3

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.

Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensationAll aircraft: 1,008 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationAll aircraft: 1,008 cases

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 said he was flying the RNAV GPS runway 36 approach in 3 miles visibility and that the wind was from 070° at 9 knots. He sighted the runway at 50 ft above the missed approach point. He said the airplane was slightly right of the runway centerline and that there was a right crosswind. When the right main landing gear (MLG) contacted the runway, it collapsed. The airplane then exited the right side of the runway onto the grass median about 1,000 ft from the end of the runway, and the airplane then came to a stop and the right main landing gear (MLG) to collapse. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane had landed hard, which resulted in the right MLG collapsing. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have resulted in the landing gear collapse.

Factual narrative

The pilot said he was flying the RNAV (GPS) runway 36 approach in 3 miles visibility. He said the wind was from 070° at 9 knots. At 50 feet above the missed approach point (MAP), the runway was sighted. He said he was slightly right of runway centerline and there was a right crosswind as well. When the right main landing gear contacted the runway, it folded under the body and the airplane came to a stop. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the accident site, the pilot made a hard landing that caused the right main landing gear to collapse. The airplane exited the right side of the runway onto the grass about 1,000 feet from the end of the runway. Further examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have resulted in the landing gear collapse. Visibility and wind as reported by the airport's AWOS-3 (Automated Weather Observing System), was 0.25 miles and 100° at 4 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N141JT
Reported as
Piaggio P.180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1141
Built
2007
Engines
Pratt & Whitney PT6A-660, 850 horsepower, turbo propPratt & Whitnet PT6A-660, 850 hp, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · May 22, 2017
Departed
KADS · Dallas, TX
Destination
KGTU · Georgetown, TX
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
KGTU · Georgetown Municipal, runway 36, 5,004 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
69
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 14, 2017
Seat
Left
Flight hours
19,811 total · 812 in this make and model · 19,631 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Role
Pilot-rated passenger
Age
51
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
3,100 total · 25 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
100° at 4 knots
Visibility
0.25 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
300 ft overcast
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
30.18 inHg
Observed at
KGTU

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB 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.