- Date
- October 7, 2018, 14:11 local (18:11 UTC)
- Place
- Manchester, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N49WVPiper PA 16
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Runway incursion veh/AC/person
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181007019569A
- Case key
- 98464
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
A vehicle's incursion onto an active runway, which resulted in an evasive action by the pilot landing an airplane on that runway and a subsequent runway excursion.
Findings · 1
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, while on final approach, he noticed a vehicle stopped short of the runway on a road that intersected the runway. After touchdown, while taxiing and about 40 ft from the intersection, the vehicle slowly drove on the runway. The pilot veered the airplane left to avoid the vehicle, and the airplane exited the runway to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he assumed that the driver could see the landing airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, while on final approach, he noticed a vehicle stopped short of the runway, on a road that intersects the runway. After touchdown, while taxiing, about 40 feet from the intersection, the vehicle slowly drove on the runway and, to avoid the vehicle, the pilot veered the airplane left and the airplane exited the runway to the left on the adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he assumed that the driver had visual of the landing airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49WV
- Reported as
- Piper PA 16 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16-723
- Built
- 1949
- Airframe hours
- 4,741
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-C2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 2017
- Departed
- 7G1 · Manchester, WV
- Destination
- 7G1 · Manchester, WV
- Airport
- 7G1 · Herron, runway 22, 2,030 × 20 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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 sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 201 total · 33 in this make and model · 201 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KPIT, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 15, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.