- Date
- August 26, 2015, 15:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Susanville, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1417XPiper PA 28-180
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 91870
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 failure to maintain airspeed control during the landing in gusty wind conditions, resulting in an abnormal runway contact, and collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while en route to his destination, the wind at the destination airport was reported as 180 degrees magnetic, at 19 to 22 knots, gusting 25 to 28 knots. The pilot reported that he added 5 knots to the "normal speed" of 70 knots for approach to "help compensate" for the gusts. About 20 feet above the ground, the airspeed "suddenly dropped" to 60 knots, the pilot added full power in an attempt to go-around, the left wing "abruptly lifted", and according to the pilot, "all remaining altitude was quickly lost". The airplane's right wing impacted the ground and the airplane cart-wheeled. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while en route to his destination, the wind at the destination airport was reported as 180 degrees magnetic, and19 to 22 knots, gusting 25 to 28 knots. The pilot reported that he added 5 knots to the "normal speed" of 70 knots for approach to "help compensate" for the gusts. About 20 feet above the ground, the airspeed "suddenly dropped" to 60 knots, the pilot added full power in an attempt to go-around, the left wing "abruptly lifted", and according to the pilot, "all remaining altitude was quickly lost". The airplane's right wing impacted the ground and the airplane cart-wheeled. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1417X
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28-180 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7505226
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 4,599.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2015 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- BYI · Burley, ID
- Destination
- SVE · Susanville, CA
- Airport
- SVE · Susanville Muni, runway 25, 2,180 × 60 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 900 total · 774 in this make and model · 858 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS, 53 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.