- Date
- March 8, 2020, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eolia, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7525WPiper PA28-180
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200308000429A
- Case key
- 101059
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 improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing, loss of directional control, runway excursion, and impact with a tree.
Findings · 5
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 reported that he was landing at his private airstrip and that the wind was strong and gusting. During the landing flare, the airplane bounced and then veered left. The airplane departed the runway, and the left wing struck a tree and separated, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was returning to land at his private airstrip after a local flight. He stated that the wind was strong and gusty. During the landing flare the airplane bounced and the pilot lost control of the airplane. The airplane departed the runway to the left; the left wing struck a tree and separated resulting in substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would preclude normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7525W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-1443
- Built
- 1963
- Airframe hours
- 3,200.94
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 10, 2019
- Departed
- MO35 · Eolia, MO
- Destination
- MO35 · Eolia, MO
- Airport
- MO35 · Harvey, runway 18, 1,500 × 60 ft
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Satellite tracking device
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
- 80
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 20, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,407 total · 1,390 in this make and model · 1,386 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- STL, 37 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.