# NTSB ERA12CA172: Piper PA-28-140, N4592R, Greenville, SC, February 7, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 7, 2012, 18:05 local (23:05 UTC) - Place: Greenville, SC - Coordinates: 34.847778, -82.349998 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8478&lon=-82.3500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82837 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82837/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82837 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA172 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis After turning onto final approach for landing at his home airport, the pilot selected 25 degrees of flaps and slowed the airplane to 80 mph. At this point, he encountered a slight crosswind, the airplane drifted to the right of the runway centerline, but the pilot corrected for it. He stated that the touchdown was smooth, but the airplane veered to the right. The pilot tried to correct using left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to veer to the right, departed the paved surface of the runway, and struck a runway sign with the left wing, substantially damaging the wing structure. The pilot stated that he believed that the right brake may have been "hanging up" and that he should have aborted the landing when the airplane began to veer to the right. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with the brake system. ## Factual narrative After turning on to the final approach for landing at his home airport, the pilot of the Piper PA-28-140 selected 25 degrees of flaps, and slowed to 80 miles per hour. At this point, he encountered a slight crosswind that was blowing from the east to the west. This caused the airplane to drift slightly to the right of the runway centerline but, he corrected for it. He stated that the touchdown was smooth but, the airplane began to veer to the right. The pilot tried to correct using left rudder and left brake but the airplane continued to veer to the right, departed the paved surface of the runway, and struck a runway sign with the left wing, substantially damaging the wing structure. After striking the runway sign the airplane traveled up onto a taxiway and the pilot released the pressure on the left rudder pedal. The airplane then ground looped to the right, travelled off the side of the taxiway, and rolled forward about 50 feet and came to rest. The pilot stated that he believed that the right brake may have been "hanging up" and that he should have aborted the landing when the airplane began to veer to the right. A review of witness statements did not reveal any evidence of a brake malfunction, nor did they reveal if the brakes were functioning properly at the time of the accident. A cursory visual examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any break anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4592R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4592R-2018-01-05), registration cancelled 2018-01-05, S/N 28-21338, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-21338 - Airframe hours: 4112 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2011 - Departed: GMU, Greenville, SC - Destination: GMU, Greenville, SC - Airport: GMU, Greenville Downtown Airport, runway 19, 5,393 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 10, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 2,274 total, 28 in this make and model, 184 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: GMU ## 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 20120207002169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120207002169A), Feb 7, 2012: Piper PA-28-140, Greenville, SC, Substantial damage. 7 Feb 2012, pilot took off in N4592R, PA-28.-140. He made an approach to runway 19 at Greenville downtown airport, south carolina. After landing, the aircraft… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82837. 6.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 525 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364305&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - NTSB Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364309&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Witness Statements and Interview Summaries (item 3, .PDF, 227 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364310&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20and%20Interview%20Summaries-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (GMU METARs and TAFs) (item 4, .PDF, 227 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364308&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records%20(GMU%20METARs%20and%20TAFs)-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 5, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364307&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Photograph of Upper Surface of Left Wing (FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364411&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Upper%20Surface%20of%20Left%20Wing%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph of Left Wing Leading Edge (FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364412&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Left%20Wing%20Leading%20Edge%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Photogrph of Left Wing/Fuselage Belly Juncture (FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364414&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photogrph%20of%20Left%20Wing%2FFuselage%20Belly%20Juncture%20(FAA)-Master.PDF 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.