FTW94LA320

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-39 · Andrews, TX · September 30, 1994

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 30, 1994, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
Place
Andrews, TX
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8901YPiper PA-39
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 10, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19940930032389A
Case key
19178

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to initiate a go-around after encountering a tailwind. A factor was the tailwind.

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.

OverrunLanding - roll
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Go-around - not performedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Airport facilities,runway overrun area - construction area

Analysis

The pilot reported that upon departing dexter, the accompanying airplane contacted roswell fss for destination NOTAMS, and was advised that the only NOTAM was that rwy 12 was displaced by 1,500 ft. upon arrival, the pilot contacted UNICOM and was advised that runways 2-20 and 15-33 were closed. He elected to land on rwy 30, and calculated an available length of 2,171 ft. on short final, groundspeed increased due to a wind shift to a quartering tailwind. After landing long, the pilot realized that the runway was shorter than reported. He was unable to stop the airplane before entering the section of runway closed for construction. The right main landing gear separated when the aircraft struck the edge of a 4-IN deep cut. San angelo fss reported the following NOTAMS were on file for the airport: 2-20 closed, 15-33 closed, se 1811 feet 12-30 closed. The NOTAMS concerning 2-20 and 15-33 were published on 9/28/94. The airport manager reported the following runway status: 2-20 closed, 15-33 closed, se 1811 feet 12-30 open.

Factual narrative

On September 30, 1994, at 1700 central daylight time, a Piper PA-39, N8901Y, was substantially damaged during landing at Andrews County Airport, Andrews, Texas. The private pilot and passenger were uninjured. There was no flight plan filed for the business cross country flight and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The pilot reported the following information. Prior to departure from Dexter, New Mexico, Roswell Flight Service Station was contacted and NOTAMs concerning Andrews County Airport requested. The only NOTAM reported was a 1,500 foot displacement of the threshold of runway 12. After flying to Andrews County, the pilot contacted Unicom and was informed that runways 15-33 and 2- 20 were closed and that winds were 10 knots at 200 degrees. He elected to land on runway 30 and calculated a usable runway length of 2,171 feet. On short final, the pilot noted that his groundspeed increased due to a wind shift from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. The pilot stated that his "touchdown was long." After touching down, he "realized that the runway was shorter than had been reported." According to the pilot, the threshold of runway 12 had been displaced 1,800 feet, not 1,500 feet as he expected.

The pilot was not able to stop the aircraft before it entered the closed section of the runway. This section of runway was closed due to construction activity, specifically, two 4 inch deep cuts had been made across the runway where it intersected another runway and a taxiway. The impact with the second cut caused the right main landing gear to separate from the airplane.

San Angelo Flight Service Station reported the following NOTAMs on file for Andrews County Airport on the date of the accident: runway 2-20 closed, runway 15-33 closed, runway 12-30 southeast 1811 feet closed. The NOTAMS concerning runways 2-20 and 15-33 were published on 9/28/94. The airport manager reported the following runway status on the date of the accident: runway 2-20 closed, runway 15-33 closed, runway 12-30 southeast 1811 feet open.

Aircraft

Registration
N8901Y
Reported as
Piper PA-39
Category
Airplane
Serial number
39-56
Engine
Lycoming IO-320-B1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
Baca, Linda D.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 12, 1993
Departed
NONE · Dexter, NM
Destination
E11 · TX
Airport
E11 · Andrews County, runway 30, 3,671 × 75 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
50
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
380 total · 180 in this make and model · 268 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 10 knots
Visibility
30 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.