- Date
- September 13, 2013, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Abingdon, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4379FPiper PA28 151
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130913019119A
- Case key
- 88083
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing resulting in collision with terrain and aft displacement of the nose landing gear.
Findings · 1
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 after takeoff he proceeded to the accident airport where the wind was forecast to be from 340 degrees gusting to 12 knots. On final approach for runway 6, he made minor crosswind corrections and executed a normal landing. After touchdown on runway centerline while at just under 60 knots, a wind gust occurred and he applied right rudder and aileron control inputs but the airplane was pointed at the left edge of the runway. The airplane went off the runway onto wet grass resulting in reduced braking action. The airplane travelled into a gulley resulting in aft displacement of the nose landing gear. Following recovery of the airplane several tubes of the engine mount were fractured.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that after takeoff he proceeded to the accident airport where the wind was forecast to be from 340 degrees gusting to 12 knots. On final approach for runway 06, he made minor crosswind corrections and executed a normal landing. After touchdown on runway centerline while at just under 60 knots, a wind gust occurred and he applied right rudder and aileron control inputs but the airplane was pointed at the left edge of the runway. The airplane went off the runway onto wet grass resulting in reduced braking action. The airplane travelled into a gulley resulting in aft displacement of the nose landing gear. Following recovery of the airplane several tubes of the engine mount were fractured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4379F
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 151 (151)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7715029
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 3,930
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ivanov Tochev T
- Registered owner
- Ivanov Tochev T
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 21, 2012
- Departed
- TRI · Bristol, TN
- Destination
- VJI · Abingdon, VA
- Airport
- VJI · Virginia Highlands Airport, runway 6, 4,471 × 75 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 249 total · 249 in this make and model · 249 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- VJI
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.3 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.