- Date
- February 14, 2019, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lacon, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3708WPiper PA32
- Defining event
- Landing: 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
- FAA report
- 20190214010279A
- Case key
- 99016
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 landing with gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a subsequent impact with a snowbank.
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, during landing after a go-around, the airplane touched down about 5 ft left of the runway centerline and veered left. He corrected with opposite rudder and aileron, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway, and impacted a snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 11 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 220° at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 13.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during landing, after a go-around, the airplane touchdown about 5 feet to the left of runway centerline and veered left. He corrected with opposite rudder and aileron, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway, and impacted a snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 11 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 220° at 9 knots, gusting 14 knots. The airplane landed on runway 13.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3708W
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-621
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,306
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 8, 2018
- Departed
- C75 · Lacon, IL
- Destination
- C75 · Lacon, IL
- Airport
- C75 · Marshall County, runway 13, 4,003 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 29, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 159 total · 29 in this make and model · 57 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- KC75
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.