- Date
- September 19, 2015, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Marshfield, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6932KPiper PA 20
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150919014629A
- Case key
- 92045
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 loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that on final approach, he realized he was above the normal glide path and performed a forward slip to lose altitude. At the conclusion of the slip, the airplane had a higher than normal approach airspeed. The pilot planned to make a wheel landing and when the airplane touched down, it landed hard, and bounced twice. The pilot then decided to alter his landing to a three point landing after the bounce. At touchdown the airplane "fishtailed" and started to veer left. The pilot was unable to correct the veer with control inputs, the airplane continued off the runway to the left and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that on final approach, he realized he was above the normal glide path and performed a forward slip to lose altitude. At the conclusion of the slip, the airplane had a higher than normal approach airspeed. The pilot planned to make a wheel landing and when the airplane touched down, it landed hard, and bounced twice. The pilot then decided to alter his landing to a three point landing after the bounce. At touchdown the airplane "fishtailed" and started to veer left. The pilot was unable to correct the veer with control inputs, the airplane continued off the runway to the left and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6932K
- Reported as
- Piper PA 20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-36
- Built
- 1950
- Airframe hours
- 2,346
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2014
- Departed
- GHG · Marshfield, MA
- Destination
- GHG · Marshfield, MA
- Airport
- GHG · Marshfield Muni - George Harlo, runway 06, 3,900 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 18, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 858 total · 363 in this make and model · 788 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KGHG
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.