GAA18CA053

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 28R · Melborne, FL · November 16, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 16, 2017, 15:10 local (20:10 UTC)
Place
Melborne, FL
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5381FPiper PA 28R
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 14, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20171116018829A
Case key
96355

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 loss of directional control during the landing roll on the wet 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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-28R-200: 29 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possiblePiper PA-28R-200: 12 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surfaceEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationPiper PA-28R-200: 1 caseAll aircraft: 141 cases

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

According to the pilot, during an approach in the rain, there were wind gusts, and he retracted the flaps to zero. He noted that, "I decided to land a little faster than the preferred 75-80 mph." The pilot reported that the airplane "did not settle into a normal rollout." He recalled that a few seconds into the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane continued across the safety area and collided with a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. Photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector showed three parallel rubber skid markings that began about 1,500 ft from the approach end of the runway. The markings began in the center of the runway and exhibited a sharp left turn that continued along a path through the safety area and stopped at the drainage culvert. The pilot reported that the left main landing gear assembly and tire failed during the landing roll. However, an examination of the landing gear assembly, wheel, and tire revealed that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures before the runway excursion. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the rain was light, and the wind was from 010° at 12 knots.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, during an approach in the rain, there were wind gusts and he retracted the flaps to zero. He noted that, "I decided to land a little faster than the preferred 75-80 mph." The pilot reported that the airplane, "did not settle into a normal rollout." He recalled that a few seconds into the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane continued across the safety area and collided with a drainage culvert. Photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aviation Safety Inspector assigned to the accident, revealed three parallel rubber skid markings that began about1,500ft from the approach end of runway 9R. The markings began in the center of the runway and exhibited a sharp left turn that continued along a path through the safety area and stopped at the drainage culvert. The pilot reported that the left main landing gear assembly and tire failed during the landing roll. However, an examination of the landing gear assembly, and the wheel and tire, by the FAA Maintenance Inspector, identified that there were no anomalies or failures prior to the runway excursion. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the rain was light, and the wind was from 010° at 12kts. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts.

Aircraft

Registration
N5381F
Reported as
Piper PA 28R (200)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R-7635462
Built
1976
Airframe hours
3,981
Engine
Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 2, 2016
Departed
KFIN · Flagler Beach, FL
Destination
MLB · Melborne, FL
Airport
MLB · Melbourne Intl, runway 09R, 10,181 × 150 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system

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
63
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
August 6, 2017
Seat
Front
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
551 total · 436 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
10° at 12 knots
Visibility
4 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,900 ft overcast
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
29.98 inHg
Observed at
KMLB

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.3 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.