- Date
- June 9, 2019, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Riverside, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6865BPiper PA22
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190609006329A
- Case key
- 99604
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 the maintain the runway heading during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in impact with runway lighting and a subsequent ground loop during the landing roll.
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
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, the airplane encountered a "strong crosswind that blew [the airplane] to the left side of the grass." Upon landing, he observed "small grass mounds" rising higher than the mowed grass. As he continued the landing roll, he realized that the grass mounds were runway lights. The airplane hit a runway light and then ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident site reported that, about 38 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 15 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 24.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, he encountered a "strong crosswind that blew [him] to the left side of the grass." Upon landing, he observed "small grass mounds" rising higher than the mowed grass. As he continued the landing roll, he noticed the grass mounds were runway lights. The airplane hit a runway light and ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident reported that, about 38 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 15 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 24.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6865B
- Reported as
- Piper PA22 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-4165
- Built
- 1956
- Airframe hours
- 3,592.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 11, 2018
- Departed
- SEE · San Diego/El Cajon, CA
- Destination
- RIR · Riverside/Rubidoux, CA
- Airport
- RIR · Flabob, runway 24, 3,190 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Onboard weather
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 22, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 262 total · 32 in this make and model · 129 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KRAL, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 7, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.