- Date
- November 3, 1999, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8515WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991103030999A
- Case key
- 47679
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 on landing rollout for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and colliding with an airport sign.
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 pilot was making a VFR night landing. On touchdown the airplane veered to the left without any brakes being applied. The airplane departed the runway and collided with an airport sign. The pilot regained control of the airplane, notified tower, and taxied to the ramp. The surface winds were 280 degrees at 4 knots. A functional test of the airplane brake system revealed no deficiencies.
Factual narrative
On November 3, 1999, at about 1815 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N8515W, registered to a private owner experienced an on-ground collision with a fixed object at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private-rated pilot and private-rated pilot/passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Concord, North Carolina, about 1 hour before the accident.
The pilot stated he made a visual approach to runway 23 right, and backed the approach up with the ILS. On touchdown the airplane veered to the left. He stated he had not applied any brakes. The airplane departed the runway into the grass. He applied brakes, regained directional control, and maneuvered the airplane back on the runway. He contacted the tower and informed them that he did not know what had happened. He stated the tower asked him if he had a bird strike. He stated he did not know. He exited the runway onto the taxiway and contacted ground. He looked out the window to his left and saw a dent in the wing. He informed ground control that he knew he had hit something. He taxied to the ramp without further incident.
An operational check of the airplane brake system by an FAA aviation safety inspector revealed no deficiencies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8515W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10016
- Airframe hours
- 2,810
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David E Paquette
- Registered owner
- Richard K. Malcolm
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 1999 · 222 hours before
- Departed
- JQF · Concord, NC
- Destination
- RDU
- Airport
- RDU · Raleigh-Durham Int, runway 23R, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 195 total · 15 in this make and model · 164 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.