- Date
- October 14, 2016, 10:28 local (14:28 UTC)
- Place
- Latrobe, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9097UPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161014016489A
- Case key
- 94223
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 unstabilized approach, which resulted in the airplane’s wing striking the ground while the pilot was maneuvering to realign with the runway.
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 on right downwind and after being cleared for a touch-and-go landing, the tower controller instructed him to make a short approach. The pilot further reported that, during approach, the airplane was to the left of the runway, so he attempted to correct to the right, and "believe[s] that…[he] had applied full right rudder." Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground and the airplane cart-wheeled. The right wing separated from the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on right downwind and after being cleared for a touch-and-go landing, the tower instructed him to make a short approach. The pilot further reported that during approach the airplane was to the left of the runway, he attempted to correct to the right, and "believe ['s] that I[he] had applied full right rudder." Subsequently the right wing impacted the ground and the airplane cart-wheeled. The right wing separated from the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9097U
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (161)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8616022
- Built
- 1985
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Westmoreland Aviation Holding Co Inc
- Registered owner
- Westmoreland Aviation Holding Co Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- LBE · Latrobe, PA
- Destination
- LBE · Latrobe, PA
- Airport
- LBE · Arnold Palmer Rgnl, runway 23, 8,222 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, 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
- 73
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 41 in this make and model · 59 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- KLBE, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 26, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 541 KB 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.