MIA00LA198

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-180 · Ocracoke, NC · July 3, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 3, 2000, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
Place
Ocracoke, NC
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N5381LPiper PA-28-180
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 4, 2000
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000703013339A
Case key
49593

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 compensate with rudder control for engine torque and 'p' factor during a go-around resulting in the aircraft drifting to the left, colliding with brush, and spinning around coming to rest in the brush.

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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterGo-around (vfr)
Rudder - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Torque/p-factor - not correctedPilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - high vegetation

Analysis

The pilot stated that the aircraft arrived over the runway threshold at about 50 feet and she reduced engine power. She then added engine power but did not hold enough rudder to compensate for the power. The aircraft drifted to the left. She then elected to perform a go-around. When she applied full engine power, the aircraft drifted further to the left. The left wing contacted bushes off the left side of the runway and the aircraft spun around and came to rest in the bushes.

Factual narrative

On July 3, 2000, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N5381L, registered to an individual, crashed during a go-around at Ocracoke Island Airport, Ocracoke, North Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and 3 passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Manteo, North Carolina, the same day, about 1030.

The pilot stated that as she approached to land on runway 24 at Ocracoke Island Airport, she was following another aircraft. On final approach, her aircraft was at 50 feet over the runway threshold and she reduced engine power. She then added engine power and the aircraft drifted to the left because she did not hold enough right rudder to compensate for the engine power. About 1/3 of the way down the runway, she applied full engine power and elected to make a go-around. She did not hold enough right rudder control and the aircraft drifted to the left as it began to climb. The left wing contacted bushes off the left side of the runway and the aircraft spun around to the left and crashed to the ground. The aircraft came to rest off the left side of the runway, about halfway down the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N5381L
Reported as
Piper PA-28-180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-4688
Airframe hours
6,106
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Jerry D. Morris
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · June 29, 2000 · 12 hours before
Departed
MQI · Manteo, NC
Destination
W95
Airport
W95 · Ocrakoke Island, runway 24, 3,000 × 75 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
37
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
131 total · 45 in this make and model · 79 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
HSE, 17 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.