# NTSB ERA19TA195: Piper PA28, N9476R, Westminster, MD, June 6, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: June 6, 2019, 11:02 local (15:02 UTC) - Place: Westminster, MD - Coordinates: 39.608333, -77.007774 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6083&lon=-77.0078&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99614 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19TA195 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99614/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99614 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA195 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [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-28-161, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102803), [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-28-161, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was conducting a solo flight during which he was practicing full-stop landings. During his third landing, the nosewheel bounced. He added power to regain control of the airplane, but the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and continued down an embankment before coming to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed buckling of the firewall and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. The accident is consistent with the pilot’s loss of directional control during his attempted recovery from a bounced landing. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2019, at 1102 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28-161, N9476R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Westminster, Maryland. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the student pilot, he was practicing full-stop landings when the accident occurred. He said that, during the first full-stop landing, the airplane's nosewheel bounced during the landing roll. The second landing was normal, but, during the third landing, the nosewheel bounced and he "added power" to regain control of the airplane. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and continued down an embankment before coming to a stop. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the firewall and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9476R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9476R-2020-09-11), registration cancelled 2020-09-11, S/N 28-7816649, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28 (161) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7816649 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 9780 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 10, 2018 - Departed: GAI, Gaithersburg, MD - Destination: DMW, Westminster, MD - Airport: DMW, Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa, runway 34, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 23 total, 22 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: KDMW ## 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 20190606005999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190606005999A), Jun 6, 2019: Piper PA-28-161, Westminster, MD, Substantial damage. The pilot and instructor flew from gai to dmw. After multiple landings the instructor exited the aircraft and the pilot began solo flight. The instructor was… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 3, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99614. 1.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 724 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9585966&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_1%20Form%20N9476R%20_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record pilot interview (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9586592&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20pilot%20telephone%20correspondence%20TA195-Rel.pdf - Photo array TA195 (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 414 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9585975&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20array%2019TA195-Rel.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.