MIA00LA081

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28R-200 · Fayette, AL · February 4, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 4, 2000, 10:50 local (16:50 UTC)
Place
Fayette, AL
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N8924TPiper PA-28R-200
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 29, 2000
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000204008519A
Case key
48712

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional and altitude control of the airplane during a ago-around maneuver, resulting in collision with a fence and utility pole.

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.

Loss of control - in flightGo-around (vfr)
Go-around - improperPilot in commandCause
Climb - not obtained/maintainedPilot in commandCause
Directional control - not obtained/maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Object - fence
Object - utility pole

Analysis

According to the pilot, at the point of flare during his la nding he experienced wind forces that displaced the airplane sideward toward the runway's right edge and counterclockwise, nose into the wind. He initiated a go-around, but did not achieve a climb, and collided with the airport's perimeter fence and a utility pole. The pilot reported the mishap was not a result of any mechanical malfunction.

Factual narrative

On February 4, 2000, about 1050 central standard time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N8924T, registered to Waycross Aviation Sales, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a go-around near Fayette, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, a fence and a roadside sign were damaged, and the private-rated pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed the same airport about 15 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, he and three passengers departed runway 36 and circled the airport for about 10 minutes. The winds were from 280 degrees at 8 knots when he took off and were 280 at 6 knots when he re-entered the pattern for a landing on the same runway. At about the flare point, the airplane encountered a wind gust that displaced the airplane toward the right runway edge and weathercocked the fuselage counterclockwise, nose into the wind. He decided to conduct a go-around, but the airplane did not climb, and the route of flight went from near the right runway edge to off the left edge, between two hangars, and collision with a chain link fence, a utility pole, and a sign. The pilot added that most of his instruction was in the 180 hp Arrow with two occupants vs this 200 hp model with four occupants. He also mentioned he thought no mechanical malfunction was causal to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N8924T
Reported as
Piper PA-28R-200
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R7135224
Airframe hours
3,400
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Waycross Aviation Sales, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 5, 1999 · 20 hours before
Departed
M95
Airport
M95 · Richard Arthur Field, runway 36, 4,838 × 80 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
61
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
185 total · 41 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 23 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
TCL, 36 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.