# NTSB ERA23LA155: Piper PA-28-181, N565TF, Sanford, NC, March 19, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 19, 2023, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place: Sanford, NC · on airport
- Coordinates: 35.582439, -79.101338 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5824&lon=-79.1013&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: 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 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106912
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA155
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106912/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106912
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA155

## Probable cause

A loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a ditch.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102807), [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-28-181, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102807), [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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102807), [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-28-181, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that after the airplane touched down on the runway, it “unexpectedly” veered to the left. He tried to keep the airplane on the runway by applying full right rudder, but the airplane continued toward the left side of the runway. The pilot said that the airplane was about to pass a taxiway, and he tried to increase the turn to stay on the asphalt. But, due to the airplane’s speed, it went off the runway, into the grass and struck a ditch. This resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s braking and rudder system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N565TF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N565TF), registered now, S/N 2881565, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-B4A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b4a) (registry code 41867, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2881565
- Year built: 2022
- Airframe hours: 164
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B4A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Air Therapy LLC
- Registered owner: Air Therapy LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 16, 2022
- Departed: MTN, Martinsville, VA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: TTA, Raleigh Executive, runway 3, 6,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 8, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 142 total, 82 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KTTA
- METAR: METAR KTTA 192025Z AUTO 32007KT 10SM CLR 09/M10 A3015	


## 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 20230319002689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230319002689A), Mar 19, 2023: Piper PA-28-181, Sanford, NC, Substantial damage. Aircraft landed at ktta runway 3. During the rollout, when the aircraft approached taxiway A2 the aircraft performed a hard left taxi turn at a high rate of…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106912. 25.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 9 photos, 722 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15455891&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Form%20-%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Written statements - pilot (item 2, PDF, 8 pages, 484 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15457134&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Written%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photos (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 4 photos, 647 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15457293&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photos-Rel.pdf
- Video file - airport surveillance video (item 4, AVI, 20.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15457066&FileExtension=avi&FileName=CH%207-Rel.avi
- NTSB mor - FAA (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15480071&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20MOR%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf
- NTSB summary of email - brake test (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15457369&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Summary%20of%20Email%20-%20AAR-Rel.pdf
- Email - condition of brake line (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15479307&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Response%20-%20Brake%20Line%20Condition_Redacted-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.