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NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 11 · Moberly, MO · March 15, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
March 15, 2019, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Moberly, MO
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4926MPiper PA 11
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 6, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190315001399A
Case key
99132

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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions.

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-11: 6 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-11: 11 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationPiper PA-11: 3 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 cases
Terrain: sloped/uneven terrainEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomePiper PA-11: 1 caseAll aircraft: 270 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

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, the right wing "lifted abruptly and rapidly." He attempted to correct with right aileron, but the airplane veered left and then began to yaw left. The pilot added right rudder and power to correct to no avail. Subsequently, he reduced power, and the airplane exited the runway, impacted a ditch, and then came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot estimated that the wind was from 300° at 24 knots, gusting to 28 knots. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 320° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 31.

Factual narrative

The pilot of a of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, the right wing "lifted abruptly and rapidly." He attempted to correct with right aileron, but the airplane continued to the left and then began to yaw left. The pilot added right rudder and power to correct to no avail. Subsequently, he reduced power, the airplane exited the runway, impacted a ditch and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damaged to the right wing and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot estimated that the wind was from 300 degrees at 24 knots with gusts to 28 knots. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 21 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 31.

Aircraft

Registration
N4926M
Reported as
Piper PA 11 (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
11-1638
Built
1947
Engine
Continental C90 SERIES, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · March 26, 2018
Departed
MLE · Omaha, NE
Destination
MBY · Moberly, MO
Airport
MBY · Omar N Bradley, runway 31, 5,001 × 100 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
24
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 1, 2019
Seat
Front
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
2,500 total · 2 in this make and model · 2,400 as pilot in command · 170 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
320° at 15 knots, gusting 21
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 19 °F
Altimeter
30.28 inHg
Observed at
KMBY

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.