- Date
- January 29, 2011, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N9127FPiper PA-28-161
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110129001929A
- Case key
- 78266
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 wrong turn while taxiing resulting in a collision with a sign.
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 pilot stated that he was holding short of a runway intersection awaiting further clearance from the ground air traffic controller. After receiving clearance to cross the runway, the pilot mistakenly turned left onto a grassy area. The right wing impacted a sign, resulting in substantial damage to the aileron and wing flap. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was holding short of a runway intersection for further clearance from ground control. After receiving clearance to cross the runway, the pilot mistakenly turned left onto a grassy area. The right wing impacted a sign, resulting in substantial damage to the aileron and wing flap. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9127F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2816106
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steve Shaner, doing business as American Air Flight Training
- Registered owner
- Flightpath USA LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PDK · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- PDK · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PDK · Dekalb-Peachtree Airport
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 18, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 328 total · 324 in this make and model · 153 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Observed at
- PDK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 858 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.