- Date
- June 17, 1992, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Troy, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N429HDPiper PA-28-180D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920617020829A
- Case key
- 15294
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane.
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.
Analysis
Pilot was on cross-country flight to destination with runway 09/27 only. Winds were from 180 at 22 knots gusting to 32. First approach to runway 27 was described by witnesses as slow and unstable, and terminated in a go-around. Second approach was to runway 09, and was also described as slow and unstable. Pilot was approximately 100 feet AGL when he initiated another go-around and began a turn to the north. Witnesses stated that the angle of bank kept increasing during turn until airplane was almost inverted, and pointed at the ground. The airplane crashed in industrial area adjacent to airport. Investigation determined full flaps were selected. Owners manual for the airplane recommends partial or no flaps for strong crosswind landings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N429HD
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-5411
- Airframe hours
- 4,683
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard E. Mason
- Registered owner
- Richard E. Mason
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 1992 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 8G2 · Corry, PA
- Airport
- 7D2 · Oakland-Troy, runway 9, 3,855 × 50 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,157 total · 695 in this make and model · 717 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 22 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PTK, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.