- Date
- January 19, 2016, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Melfa, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3046HPiper PA32RT
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160119000199A
- Case key
- 92614
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 a gusting crosswind during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, impact with a structure, and subsequent postimpact fire.
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 landing in crosswind conditions, a wind gust "forced" the airplane to drift to the right of the runway. The pilot initiated a go-around, but further reported that a "sudden drop" in the wind led to an aerodynamic stall. After the airplane stalled, it impacted a structure adjacent to the runway. A postimpact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while landing in crosswind conditions, a wind gust "forced" the airplane to drift to the right of the runway. The pilot initiated a go-around, but further reported that a "sudden drop" in the wind led to an aerodynamic stall. After the airplane stalled, it impacted a structure adjacent to the runway. A postimpact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3046H
- Reported as
- Piper PA32RT (300)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7985046
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 4,600
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HEF · Manassas, VA
- Destination
- MFV · Melfa, VA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- MFV · Accomack County, runway 03, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot
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
- 44
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 27, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 801 total · 440 in this make and model · 706 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 15 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KMFV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.