CHI00LA308

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-140 · Hallock, MN · September 10, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 10, 2000, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
Place
Hallock, MN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8319RPiper PA-28-140
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 23, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000910009579A
Case key
50362

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot not maintaining directional control of the airplane. Factors were the gusts, the crosswind weather conditions, and the ditch terrain condition.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - gustsFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ditchFactor
Landing gear,nose gear - overload
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a nose over following a loss of control on landing roll on runway 13. The student pilot was uninjured. The student pilot stated that about 1545, wind conditions were between eight and nine knots. He said that he came back to the airport about 1630 and decided to practice touch and goes. He said, "I landed and bounced over to the left side of the runway. My left wheel went into the grass pulling the plane into the ditch. I tried to correct the plane by using the ailerons, rudder, and the brakes. As the plane hit the bottom of the ditch the front wheel broke off putting the nose of the plane into the ground flipping it over and onto the approach runway." A review of the student's logbook revealed an endorsement for solo flights with a limitation that stated a "...maximum crosswind component of 8 knots." At 1657, the HCO wind was 240 degrees at 15 knots gusts to 20 knots.

Factual narrative

On September 10, 2000, about 1700 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N8319R, piloted by a student pilot sustained substantial damage during a nose over following a loss of control on landing roll on runway 13 (4,007 feet X 75 feet, dry/asphalt) at Hallock Municipal Airport (HCO), near Hallock, Minnesota. The instructional solo flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight departed HCO at 1630 and was destined to practice touch and goes at HCO.

In a written statement, the student pilot stated, "At 15:45-15:50 I went into the airport lobby and proceeded to look up the wind conditions, which were between 8 and 9 kts. I then went home to meet ..., my flight instructor. I found out that he was unable to make our crosscountry trip. So, I had supper and went back to the airport at 16:30 to put the plane away. I decided first to do a few touch and go's with the crosswind for practice. I took off on runway 13, flew west a few miles and east a few miles, before attempting to land on 31 because of the smoke in a nearby field that was blowing over the end of runway 13. On my first attempt my descent angle was wrong. So, I made a go around to try it again. My second attempt looked good. I landed and bounced over to the left side of the runway. My left wheel went into the grass pulling the plane into the ditch. I tried to correct the plane by using the ailerons, rudder, and the brakes. As the plane hit the bottom of the ditch the front wheel broke off putting the nose of the plane into the ground flipping it over and onto the approach runway."

In a telephone interview, the student pilot said that he had landed on runway 13 and not on runway 31 as stated in his written statement.

A review of the student's logbook revealed an endorsement for solo flights with a limitation that stated a "...maximum crosswind component of 8 knots."

At 1657, the HCO weather was: Wind 240 degrees at 15 knots gusts to 20 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 24 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter 29.66 inches of mercury.

Aircraft

Registration
N8319R
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-22190
Airframe hours
2,362
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
The Flying Club
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 13, 2000 · 26 hours before
Departed
HCO
Airport
HCO · Hallock Municipal Airport, runway 31, 4,007 × 75 ft, asphalt

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
31
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 15 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
167 °F, dew point 109 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
HCO

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.