- Date
- February 16, 1991, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9490NPiper PA-28R-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 7, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910216002769A
- Case key
- 23304
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 crosswind conditions encountered on final and his failure to maintain directional control during the attempted go around. A factor in the accident was the unfavorable gusting crosswind conditions.
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 pilot stated that while on a one eighth mile final for runway 17, he encountered a strong crosswind from the right. The airplane began to drift left and he was unable to correct the drift. The pilot elected to go around. During the go around, the airplane continued to drift left off of the runway until it collided with bushes and the ground. The winds were reported to be from 180 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 24 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9490N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-35211
- Airframe hours
- 4,999
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Flight Dynamics, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Flight Dynamics, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 4, 1991 · 42 hours before
- Airport
- T47 · Kickapoo, runway 17, 4,205 × 45 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 197 total · 29 in this make and model · 155 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SPS, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.