- Date
- November 17, 2018, 16:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Versailles, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4137WPiper PA32R
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181117022609A
- Case key
- 98665
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in landing on the landing gear first and a subsequent loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and impact with a tree and a fence during an attempted go-around.
Findings · 5
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
During the initial approach, the pilot and airplane owner were not able to see the airport environment due to haze, but both of them were able to see the ground. The pilot continued to use the GPS for navigation, and once the airplane was above the airport, they were able to see the runway. The pilot then made a 180º turn to align for a final approach; however, the approach was not stabilized, so the pilot initiated a go-around. After the climbout, he made another 180º turn for final approach to the opposite runway. The airplane touched down on the nose landing gear first and then immediately veered left and exited the runway. The pilot attempted another go-around, but the airplane struck a tree and then an airport perimeter fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The owner reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The owner of the airplane reported that he hired the accident pilot to fly him to the destination airport. During the initial approach, they were not able to see the airport environment due to the haze, but both were able to see the ground. The pilot continued to use the GPS for navigation and once they were above the airport, they were able to see the runway. The pilot then made a 180º turn to align for a final approach to runway 27; however, the approach was not stabilized so the pilot initiated a go-around. After the climb out, he turned 180º for a final approach to runway 09. The airplane touched down nose landing gear first, then immediately veered left and exited the runway. The pilot attempted another go-around, but the airplane struck a tree and impacted the airport perimeter fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The owner reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4137W
- Reported as
- Piper PA32R (301)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3246138
- Built
- 1999
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- 335 Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- 335 Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- XNX · Gallatin, TN
- Destination
- VES · Versailles, OH
- Airport
- VES · Darke County, runway 09, 4,802 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KVES
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 282 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.