- Date
- September 13, 2009, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Herlong, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N7705KPiper PA-20
- Defining event
- Taxi: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090913051269A
- Case key
- 75066
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 improper visual lookout while taxing on soft terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot overflew a grass strip, parallel to the asphalt runway to view the condition for landing. The pilot landed without incident. While transitioning from the grass runway onto the taxiway, the aircraft's nose gear got stuck in the soft terrain and the aircraft flipped over. The wing spar incurred substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot overflew a grass strip, parallel to the asphalt runway to view the condition for landing. The pilot landed without incident. While transitioning from the grass runway onto the taxiway, the aircraft's nose gear got stuck in the soft terrain and the aircraft flipped over. The wing spar incurred substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical deficiencies prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7705K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-525
- Airframe hours
- 2,987
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pacer N7705k LLC
- Registered owner
- Pacer N7705k LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 11, 2008
- Departed
- KCRG · Craig Municipal, FL
- Destination
- KCRG · Craig Municipal, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KHEG · Herlong Airport, runway 07, 4,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 13, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 351 total · 56 in this make and model · 288 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KNIP, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 29, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 673 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.