- Date
- November 5, 2003, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Amarillo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5203WPiper PA-28-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031105027579A
- Case key
- 58297
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 inadequate compensation for wind condition. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of aircraft, and the crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 30-hour student pilot was landing on runway 17 following his first cross-country flight, and applied right rudder pressure to compensate for the prevailing crosswind conditions. After touchdown, the pilot "failed to release the right rudder," and the airplane veered to the right side of the runway. Also, the pilot "overcompensated" with left rudder, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The airplane struck two fences before becoming to a stop. The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from 150 degrees at 8 to 9 knots.
Factual narrative
On November 5, 2003, about 1600 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-160 single-engine airplane, N5203W, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control while landing at the Tradewind Airport (TDW), near Amarillo, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local personal flight, which departed TDW approximately 1530.
On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 30-hour student pilot stated that while landing on runway 17 after his first solo cross-country flight, right rudder pressure was applied to compensate for the prevailing crosswind conditions. After touchdown, the pilot added that he "failed to release the right rudder," and the airplane veered to the right side of the runway. The pilot further stated that he "overcompensated" with left rudder, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The airplane struck two fences before becoming to a stop.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed structural damage to the elevator, left aileron, left flap, and the leading edge of the left wing. The left fuel tank was found to have cracked.
Runway 17 is 5,099 feet long and 60 feet wide. The pilot reported the winds from 150 degrees at 7 to 8 knots, with gusts to 9 knots. At 1553, the reported winds at the Amarillo International Airport (AMA), located approximately five miles from the accident site, was reporting the winds from 080 degrees at 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5203W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-238
- Airframe hours
- 3,344
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James K. Ingram
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2003 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- TDW · Amarillo, TX
- Airport
- TDW · Tradewind Airport, runway 17, 5,099 × 60 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 30 total · 23 in this make and model · 23 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- TDW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5203W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.