- Date
- March 23, 1999, 19:13 local (Mar 24, 1999, 01:13 UTC)
- Place
- Waterloo, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N812TBPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990323002619A
- Case key
- 45975
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 directional control.
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
The pilot said he was conducting touch and go landings. He said that on the second landing directional control was lost and the airplane exited the runway. He said that he did not know of any mechanical problems with the airplane. A postaccident examination failed to reveal any preaccident anomalies.
Factual narrative
On March 23, 1999, at 1913 central standard time, a Piper PA-31-350, N812TB, operated by an airline transport pilot sustained substantial damage when it exited runway 30 (8,400' X 150' dry/asphalt), at Waterloo Municipal Airport, near Waterloo, Iowa. The pilot reported no injuries. He told authorities that he was conducting touch and go landings and the accident occurred on the second landing. He said that when the nosewheel touched down the airplane veered to the left and exited the runway. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed at 1845.
When asked to make a written statement by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the pilot said he needed time to think the events over. In the written statement signed by the pilot, he indicated that directional control was lost when the nosewheel touched down.
During a telephone interview with the pilot, he stated that he did not know why he lost control of the airplane on touchdown. He said that he did not know of any mechanical problem with the airplane.
An inspection of the airplane after the accident failed to reveal any pre-existing anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N812TB
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-8152113
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Terry L Butz Creative, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 1998 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- ALO
- Airport
- ALO · Waterloo Municipal, runway 30, 8,400 × 150 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ALO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.