- Date
- March 23, 2019, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mecosta, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2733MPiper PA 12
- 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
- 20190323001849A
- Case key
- 99167
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, which resulted in impact with a windsock pole.
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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he landed the airplane on the turf runway in variable wind conditions. During the landing roll, the airplane veered right and exited the right side of the runway. The airplane struck a runway cone and a windsock pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather reporting station at the nearest airport, about 24 miles from the accident site, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 340° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 36.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he had landed on the turf runway in variable wind conditions. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right and exited the right side of the runway. The airplane struck a lighted runway cone and a windsock pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather reporting station at the nearest airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 340° at 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 36.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2733M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1140
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,959.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Other
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 2018
- Departed
- 0C5 · Mecosta, MI
- Destination
- 0C5 · Mecosta, MI
- Airport
- 0C5 · Canadian Lakes, runway 36, 3,800 × 100 ft
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 490 total · 52 in this make and model · 490 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.39 inHg
- Observed at
- KMOP, 24 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 2, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.