- Date
- December 10, 1996, 11:25 local (17:25 UTC)
- Place
- Pensacola, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6955DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961210040959A
- Case key
- 38190
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
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the nose gear. The crosswind was a related factor.
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 stated that he made a straight-in approach to the runway with a crosswind from the left. After touchdown during the landing roll, the left wing was raised, and the right wing tip then contacted the runway. The airplane then yawed to the right, and the nose gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On December 10, 1996, about 1125 central standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N6955D, registered to a private individual, experienced a loss of control during the landing roll at the Pensacola Regional Airport, Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 0835 from the Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando, Florida.
The pilot stated that he executed a straight in approach to the runway with a crosswind from the left. After touchdown during the landing roll, the left wing was raised and the right wing tip then contacted the runway. The airplane then yawed to the right collapsing the nose landing gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6955D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-4884
- Airframe hours
- 2,434
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James P. Fletcher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 1996 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- ORL · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- PNS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PNS · Pensacola Regional, runway 26, 4,700 × 150 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--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 136 total · 32 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PNS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6955D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.