- Date
- June 7, 2020, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cumberland, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2470DPiper PA38
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200607009219A
- Case key
- 101400
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 during landing and the subsequent go-around in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 after a stabilized approach to land, during the touchdown a gust of wind caused the left wing to raise and go "vertical" or "knife edge." He immediately applied full power to go-around, however, the airplane was banking and drifting to the right and before the airplane could climb, it impacted terrain to the right of the runway and skidded down a ravine. The left and right wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane. About the time of the accident the weather observation at the airport included wind from a heading of 320° at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The calculated crosswind component for the landing on runway 5 was 14 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a stabilized approach to land, during the touchdown a gust of wind caused the left wing to raise and go "vertical" or "knife edge." He immediately applied full power to go-around, however, the airplane was banking and drifting to the right and before the airplane could climb, it impacted terrain to the right of the runway and skidded down a ravine. The left and right wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane.About the time of the accident the weather observation at the airport included wind from a heading of 320° at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The calculated crosswind component for the landing on runway 5 was 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2470D
- Reported as
- Piper PA38 (112)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A0325
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 8,054
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 13, 2020
- Departed
- HEF · Manassas, VA
- Destination
- CBE · Cumberland, MD
- Airport
- CBE · Greater Cumberland Rgnl, runway 05, 5,047 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 26, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 380.5 total · 80.3 in this make and model · 286.8 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- CBE
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.