ERA10CA122

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-181 · Great Barrington, MA · January 21, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
January 21, 2010, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
Place
Great Barrington, MA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8428HPiper PA-28-181
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 28, 2010
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
Case key
75299

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's improper approach, failure to perform a go-around, and failure to maintain directional control while braking after a long landing.

Findings · 3

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28-181: 37 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specifiedPiper PA-28-181: 6 casesAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause

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 pilot initially reported that as the airplane approached runway 11, it touched down about one-third down the runway and the left brake "stayed on a little longer" than the right brake, causing the airplane to depart the left side of the runway. The pilot subsequently reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Several witnesses, including two flight instructors, reported that the airplane approached high and fast, touched down about two-thirds down the runway, and veered off the left side of the runway during braking. Examination of the runway by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed even skid marks, beginning about 733 feet from the end of the runway, traveling off the left side of the runway. The FAA inspector added that the airplane subsequently struck a snowbank and sustained damage to the right wing spar. Examination of the brakes by the FAA inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The reported winds at an airport about 15 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were from 020 degrees at 6 knots; however, one of the flight instructor witnesses reported that the winds were favoring runway 29, at 5 to 10 knots, at the time of the accident.

Factual narrative

The airplane was approaching runway 11, a 2,579-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot initially reported that the airplane touched down about one-third down the runway, the left brake "stayed on a little longer" than the right brake, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot subsequently reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form. Several witnesses, including two flight instructors, reported that the airplane approached high and fast, touched down about two-thirds down the runway, and veered off the left side of the runway during braking. Examination of the runway by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed even skid marks, beginning about 733 feet from the end of the runway, traveling off the left side of the runway. The FAA inspector added that the airplane subsequently struck a snowbank and sustained damage to the right wing spar. Examination of the brakes by the FAA inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The reported winds at an airport about 15 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were from 020 degrees at 6 knots; however, one of the flight instructor witnesses reported that the winds were favoring runway 29, at 5 to 10 knots, at the time of the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N8428H
Reported as
Piper PA-28-181
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-8190305
Airframe hours
1,907
Engine
Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Alper Gert
Registered owner
Alper Gert
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 9, 2009 · 17 hours before
Departed
GBR · Great Barrington, MA
Destination
GBR · Great Barrington, MA
Airport
GBR · Walter J Kolazda Airport, runway 11, 2,579 × 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
53
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 17, 2009
Seat
Left
Flight hours
545 total · 486 in this make and model · 491 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
39 °F, dew point 10 °F
Altimeter
29.87 inHg
Observed at
PSF, 15 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.0 MB in all.