# NTSB CEN18LA071: Piper PA 12, N47FP, Angleton, TX, December 20, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 20, 2017, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Angleton, TX - Coordinates: 29.108612, -95.461944 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1086&lon=-95.4619&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96586 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA071 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96586/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96586 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA071 ## Probable cause The passenger's inadvertent activation of the left brake during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: runway/taxi/approach light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022012): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022012/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 106 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022012/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting a personal flight with a passenger. He indicated that after an uneventful flight, he performed a pattern approach to the runway for a touch-and-go landing. After touchdown, when the pilot lowered the left wheel to the ground, the airplane immediately and uncontrollably veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and immediately held the stick full right and aft to keep the airplane from ground looping or cartwheeling. The pilot was unable to regain directional control of the airplane, and it departed the runway to the left and collided with two precision approach path indicator lights before coming to a stop. Braking marks on the runway and grass correlated to the left main landing gear tire as it passed from the runway surface onto the grass. Postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies with the left brake system. After the brake examination, the pilot stated that the passenger could have inadvertently had his foot on the brake pedal during the landing rollout. Because the examination did not reveal any anomalies with the brakes, it is likely that the passenger inadvertently activated the left brake pedal during the landing. ## Factual narrative On December 20, 2017, about 1530 central standard time, a Piper PA-12 airplane, N47FP, sustained substantial damage following a runway excursion upon landing at the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport (LBX), Angleton, Texas. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area and flight plan was not filed. The airplane was registered to a private individual and the personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from the Flying Tiger Airport (81D), Angleton, Texas, about 1515. According to the pilot, after an uneventful flight from 81D, the pilot checked the weather for landing at LBX and conducted a visual pattern and approach to runway 17. The winds were from 220° at 6 knots which would yield about a 5 knot right-to-left crosswind component. The landing was on airspeed, on runway centerline, and in the touchdown zone. After lowering the left wheel to the ground, the aircraft immediately and uncontrollably veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and immediately held the stick full right and aft to keep the aircraft from ground looping or cartwheeling. The pilot was unable to regain directional control of the aircraft and departed the runway to the left and proceeded to impact two of the four Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights for runway 17. The propeller hit a PAPI light and the aircraft continued and came to a stop in the grass about 50-100 feet off the runway. The pilot immediately suspected that a brake had somehow locked on the left main wheel. Braking marks on the runway and grass correlated to the left main landing gear tire as it passed from the runway surface onto the grass. The airplane was towed to a hangar for examination. After an examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a mechanic, no anomalies were discovered with the left brake assembly. The pilot reported on National Transportation Safety Board accident report form that he thought that the left brake was somehow activated upon landing, and knew that his feet were nowhere near the brakes as he was planning a touch and go. After inspection of the brakes, the pilot stated that he believed that the passenger could have inadvertently had his foot on the brake pedal during the landing rollout.The pilot also stated that he had thoroughly briefed his passenger prior to the flight regarding the basic use of flight controls, emergency procedures, and flight plan. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N47FP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47FP-2018-11-06), registration cancelled 2018-11-06, S/N 12-2741 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 12 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-2741 - Year built: 1947 - Airframe hours: 2392 - Engines: Lycoming O-320A33 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 9, 2017 - Departed: LBX, Angleton, TX - Destination: LBX, Angleton, TX - Airport: LBX, Texas Gulf Coast Regional, runway 17, 7,000 × 100 ft, concrete - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,490 total, 55 in this make and model, 5,098 as pilot in command, 74 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 9 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: LBX ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20171220023339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171220023339A), Dec 20, 2017: Piper PA-12, Angleton, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft N47FP a PA-12 Piper, landed out of control after thouch down. Aircraft veered left off the runway 17 which caused the aircraft and occupancy to hit… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96586. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 880 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for the Record FAA Inspector Brake Examination Findings (item 2, .PDF, 623 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479644&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20FAA%20Inspector%20Brake%20Examination%20Findings%20-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 3, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479645&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array%20-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.