- Date
- December 16, 1997, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bally, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8068ZPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971216039039A
- Case key
- 28269
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 attain the proper touchdown point. Related factors were tailwind, and lack of total experience.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane touched down on runway 16, about 1,000 foot down the 2,420 foot long runway. The pilot said he was unable to stop on the runway, and the airplane exited the runway, and crossed a road into a field. The weather reported at an airport 21 miles west of the accident site, included winds from 260 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported over 86 hours of total flight experience, including 17 hours of pilot in command, all in make and model.
Factual narrative
On December 16, 1997, at 1330 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8068Z, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at the Butter Valley Golf Port Airport, Bally, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured, and the passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated at Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
The pilot reported that his flight from Pottstown was uneventful. He said the airplane touched down on runway 16, about 1,000 feet down the 2,420 foot long runway. He said, "...the 1,400 feet proved not to be enough to stop given my groundspeed, and I steered the plane to the right to avoid obstacles... ." The airplane exited the runway, and crossed a road into a field.
The 1245 surface weather observation at an airport about 21 miles west of Bally, reported the winds from 260 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported over 86 hours of total flight experience, including 17 hours of pilot in command, all in make and model. He also reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8068Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8290086
- Airframe hours
- 8,366
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Basco Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 25, 1997 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- N47 · Pottstown, PA
- Destination
- 7N8 · PA
- Airport
- 7N8 · Butter Valley Golf Port, runway 16, 2,420 × 85 ft, asphalt
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 89 total · 17 in this make and model · 38 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDG, 21 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.