# NTSB ERA23LA052: Piper PA-24-250, N5153P, Columbia, SC, October 28, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 28, 2022, 12:00, time zone not recorded - Place: Columbia, SC - Coordinates: 33.970472, -80.99525 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9705&lon=-80.9952&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: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 106266 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106266/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106266 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA052 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the crosswind landing. ## 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-24-250, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102404), [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-24-250, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102404), [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-24-250, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis At the conclusion of the return flight, the pilot was landing at his home airport where a significant right crosswind prevailed for the landing runway. The pilot described that, during the final approach for landing, he maintained a right-wing-down attitude and was crabbing the airplane into the wind. As the airplane neared touchdown, the pilot applied left rudder to straighten the airplane’s path; when the right main wheel touched down, the airplane “weather vaned” to the right and into the wind. The airplane’s nose wheel touched down, and the airplane “swerved hard to the left.” His subsequent attempts to correct the airplane’s path were unsuccessful. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, continued down an embankment, struck a berm, and came to rest, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5153P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5153P), registered now, S/N 24-169, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-169 - Year built: 1958 - Airframe hours: 3818.67 - Engines: Lycoming O540-A1A5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Cjl Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Cjl Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 18, 2022 - Departed: CDN, Camden, SC - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: CUB, Jim Hamilton L B Owens, runway 31, 5,011 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 10, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 325 total, 138.8 in this make and model, 233.6 as pilot in command, 8.6 in the last 90 days, 2.6 in the last 30 days, 0.7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 10 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.32 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: CUB - METAR: KCUB 281453Z AUTO 10SM CLR 18/09 A3032 RMK AO2 SLP265 T01780094 51015 ## 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 20221028016909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221028016909A), Oct 28, 2022: Piper PA-24-250, Columbia, SC, Substantial damage. On October 28, 2022 at approximately 1159 hours (local), [privacy data omitted] attempted to land on runway 31 at jim Hamilton-l.b. Owens airport (cub) with a… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106266. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14758427&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_NTSB-pr_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14758874&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N5153P%20accident%20statement-clean-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 6 pages, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14758647&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.