# NTSB ERA09CA277: Piper PA-30, N8034Y, Great Barrington, MA, April 30, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 30, 2009, 13:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Great Barrington, MA - Coordinates: 42.184165, -73.404167 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1842&lon=-73.4042&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 28, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 73759 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09CA277 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73759/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA277 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to land with a tailwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Terrain: sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 270 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01060000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was flying to the accident airport to have scheduled maintenance accomplished on the airplane's cabin heater. The airplane approached Runway 29, a 2,579-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. While crossing the runway threshold, the pilot felt that the "ground speed was faster" than he thought. After touching down "about one-third down" the runway, the pilot utilized maximum braking and instead of running off the end of the runway, he elected to "ground loop" the airplane. The airplane veered to the right, departed the paved portion of the runway, and slid down into a ditch approximately 20 feet from the edge of the runway, damaging the left wing spar. The pilot also reported that, after exiting the airplane, the windsock was varying; however, it appeared to be indicating a quartering tailwind. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector confirmed continuity to all control surfaces and damage to the outboard section of the wing spar. The recorded wind at an airport located about 15 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was variable at 3 knots, gusting to 19 knots. ## Factual narrative The pilot was flying to the accident airport to have scheduled maintenance accomplished on the airplane's cabin heater. The airplane approached runway 29, a 2,579-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. While crossing the runway threshold, the pilot felt that the "ground speed was faster" than he thought. After touching down "about one-third down" the runway, the pilot utilized maximum braking and instead of running off the end of the runway, he elected to "ground loop" the airplane. The airplane veered to the right, departed the paved portion of the runway, and slid down into a ditch approximately 20 feet from the edge of the runway, damaging the left wing spar. The pilot also reported that after exiting the airplane the windsock was varying; however, it appeared to be indicating a quartering tailwind. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector confirmed continuity to all control surfaces and damage to the outboard section of the wing spar. The recorded wind at an airport located about 15 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was variable at 3 knots, gusting to 19 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8034Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8034Y), registered now, S/N 30-1143, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30 - Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30-1143 - Airframe hours: 6382 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-C1A 160 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-320-C1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Fred Kantor - Registered owner: Questair - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 21, 2009 - Departed: HVN, New Haven, CT - Destination: GBR, Great Barrington, MA - Airport: GBR, Walter J. Koladza Airport, runway 29, 2,579 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 13, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 5,569 total, 4,417 in this make and model, 4,898 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.31 inHg - Observed at: PSF, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20090430009299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090430009299A), Apr 30, 2009: Piper PA30, Great Barringt, MA, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 30, 2009 aircraft N8034Y, a Piper PA-30 was landing runway 29 at the Walter J. Koladza Airport in Great barrington, Massachusetts. After landing… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.