- Date
- June 9, 2000, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N115NDPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000609014369A
- Case key
- 49405
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control in that he failed to properly position the ailerons during his landing roll. Gusty, crosswind conditions, from a direction and velocity that equaled the aircraft's maximum demonstrated crosswind capability, were a factor in this accident.
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 student pilot was practicing stop-and-go landings. On the first landing the airplane veered to the right side of the runway, and struck a distance remaining sign. After the collision, the airplane taxied to the ramp without further incident. The 1050 ATIS reported winds were from 180 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. Witnesses at the accident site reported that the winds were variable in direction with gusty conditions. The demonstrated crosswind component for the airplane is 17 knots. According to the chart, the effective crosswind at the time of the accident was 17 knots. The student had received dual instruction in the performance of crosswind landings.
Factual narrative
On June 9, 2000, at 1045 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N115ND, struck a distance remaining marker sign on the landing rollout at the Williams Gateway Airport, Mesa, Arizona. The airplane, owned and operated by the University of North Dakota under 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight, sustained substantial damage. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local training flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at 0900 from the accident airport and was scheduled to terminate at the time of the accident.
The student pilot, on a supervised solo flight, had returned from the practice area to practice stop-and-go landings on runway 12R. On the first landing the airplane veered to the right side of the runway, and struck a distance remaining sign with the right wing. After the collision, the airplane taxied to the ramp without further incident.
The Automatic Terminal Information System (ATIS) broadcast located on the field reported at 0947 the winds to be 120 degrees at 6 knots. At 1050, the winds were reported to be from 180 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots. Witnesses at the accident site reported that the winds were variable in direction with gusty conditions. According to the pilot's operating handbook (POH), the demonstrated crosswind capability for this airplane is 17 knots. According to the chart, the effective crosswind component at the time of the accident was 17 knots.
The student had received the prescribed dual instruction in the performance of crosswind landings according to his training records.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N115ND
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2841035
- Airframe hours
- 9,278
- Engine
- Lycoming O-230-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Und Aerospace Flight Tranning
- Registered owner
- University Of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 11, 2000 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- IWA
- Airport
- IWA · Williams Gateway, runway 12R, 10,401 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 44 total · 44 in this make and model · 14 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 187 °F, dew point 115 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IWA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.