- Date
- December 4, 2012, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Easton, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2835WPiper PA-32-300
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 10, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121204026289A
- Case key
- 85744
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 failure to maintain directional control while landing.
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 reported that during landing, the main landing gear touched down first, followed by the nose landing gear. As soon as the nose gear touched down, the airplane "fishtailed." The pilot applied brakes; however, he was unable to get the airplane to straighten or stop. He then pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane veered left. The airplane subsequently traveled off the left side of the runway and struck a ditch. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall. Postaccident examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during landing, the main landing gear touched down first, followed by the nose landing gear. As soon as the nosegear touched down, the airplane "fishtailed." The pilot applied brakes; however, he was unable to get the airplane to straighten or stop. He then pulled back on the yoke and the airplane veered left. The airplane subsequently traveled off the left side of the runway and struck a ditch. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was a 30-degree left quartering headwind at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2835W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7940148
- Airframe hours
- 8,987
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Middle River Aviation
- Registered owner
- N2835w LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 8, 2012
- Departed
- MTN · Baltimore, MD
- Destination
- ESN · Easton, MD
- Airport
- ESN · Easton/Newnam Field, runway 22, 5,500 × 100 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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 15 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- ESN
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.
Other investigations on N2835W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.