- Date
- August 31, 2018, 11:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Porterville, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8172NPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180831012709A
- Case key
- 98411
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 directional control during the landing roll.
Findings · 4
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 she initiated the landing flare and that the airplane floated about 100 ft and landed normally. About 400 ft into the landing roll, the airplane veered right, exited the right side of the runway, and collided with taxiway lights before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage intermediate bulkhead. The pilot reported that, during landing, the windsock indicated "no wind." However, after the accident, she and her passenger saw dust devils close to the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's METAR reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 6 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 30.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that she initiated the landing flare and the airplane floated about 100 feet and landed normally. About 400 feet into the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right, exited the right side of the runway and collided with taxiway lights prior to coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage intermediate bulkhead. She reported that during landing the windsock indicated "no wind." However, after the accident she and her passenger witnessed dust devils close to the runway. The airport's METAR reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 6 knots. The airplane landed on runway 30. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8172N
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (181)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8090261
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 7,766
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Plus One Flyers Club
- Registered owner
- San Diego Aircraft Holdings Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 12, 2018
- Departed
- SEE · El Cajon, CA
- Destination
- PTV · Porterville, CA
- Airport
- PTV · Porterville Muni, runway 30, 5,960 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 9, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,455 total · 113 in this make and model · 3,455 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KPTV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.