# NTSB CEN24LA016: Piper PA-28-180, N6605J, Denton, TX, October 13, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 13, 2023, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Denton, TX
- Coordinates: 33.2012, -97.1966
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2012&lon=-97.1966&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: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA North Texas FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193265
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA016
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193265/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193265
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA016

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a tailwind.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was landing during a solo flight, and the airplane drifted to the left while between 100-200 ft above the runway. The student pilot initiated a go around. During the go around attempt, the main landing gear touched the ground; one wheel touched the runway surface, and the other wheel touched the grass adjacent to the runway. The right wing impacted the ground. The airplane departed the runway and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot further reported that the surface wind, as observed at the windsock, had shifted to a tailwind during the flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6605J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6605J), registered now, S/N 28-5066, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-5066
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 4084
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-ACIA 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 12, 2023
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: KDTO, Denton Enterprise Airport, runway 18R, 7,002 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 47.2 total, 46.2 in this make and model, 3.5 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observed at: KDTO
- METAR: KDTO 131359Z 27013KT 10SM FEW021 FEW028 23/19 A2979 RMK AO2 T02330189,M

## 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 20231013021329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231013021329A), Oct 13, 2023: Piper PA-28-180, Denton, TX, Minor damage. Student pilot on a solo flight departed the runway after landing on RUNWAY18R. Winds at the time of departure were 260/12 and the maximum croisswind component…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193265. 2.3 MB in all.

- Photos (item 1, PDF, 3 pages, 452 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16352230&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20CEN24LA016-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16352240&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.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.

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