- Date
- July 1, 2002, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Moneta, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5921HPiper PA-16
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 1, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Inspector
- FAA report
- 20020701018119A
- Case key
- 55110
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 loss of a clip and subsequent loss of the spring on the right side of the tail wheel assembly, for undetermined reasons, which led to a loss of directional control. A factor was the berm.
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 reported that during landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane abruptly veered to the left and departed the runway. The pilot regained directional control after the airplane had swerved about 60 degrees from the runway. In the process of returning to the runway, the right main landing gear struck an earthen berm about 16 inches high, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the tail wheel side spring, between the rudder horn and tailwheel, on the right side of the tail wheel assembly, was disconnected, and the clip which held the spring in place was missing.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 2002, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-16, N5921H, was substantially damaged while landing at Smith Mountain Lake Airport (W91), Moneta, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which originated at Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpeper, Virginia. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated:
"...Approach to Smith Mountain Lake was normal. On roll-out aircraft started left hand turn and exited hard surface. Regained control, [airplane] pointed about 60 degrees from centerline. Started turn back to runway when right wheel struck a mount of dirt about 16 inches high. Aircraft went over onto it back. Found right hand link from tailwheel to rudder horn missing."
In a follow-up telephone interview, the pilot described the left turn as abrupt, with no indication of a problem prior to the turn.
According to an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), examination of the airplane revealed that the clip which held the tail wheel spring to the tail wheel on the right side of the tail wheel assembly, was missing, and the spring was disconnected. A search of the runway failed to find the clip. The FAA inspector also reported that the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. The right wing was bent at the fuselage attach point, and the right wing strut was bent.
Runway 05 was 3,050 feet long, 50 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface.
The closest recorded weather was Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia, located 23 nautical miles northwest of the accident site. The reported winds at 1154, were variable at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5921H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-16
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16-542
- Airframe hours
- 2,188.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 13, 2001 · 35.8 hours before
- Departed
- CJR · Culpeper, VA
- Destination
- W91 · Moneta, VA
- Airport
- W91 · Smith Mountain Lake, runway 5, 3,058 × 50 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 3, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 329 total · 31 in this make and model · 329 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- ROA, 23 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 10, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 293 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.