- Date
- December 30, 2002, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Blairstown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6780BPiper PA-18A 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-05
- FAA report
- 20021230037759A
- Case key
- 56411
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 during the landing roll.
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 after touchdown, the airplane drifted left. It departed the left side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and came to rest upright. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On December 30, 2002, about 1330 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-18A 150, N6780B, was substantially damaged while landing at Blairstown Airport (1N7), Blairstown, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he was performing full-stop landings on runway 25; a 3,100-foot long, 70-foot wide, asphalt runway. During his fifth landing, after touchdown, the airplane drifted left. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and came to rest upright. The pilot added that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
The pilot reported a total flight experience of 1,300 hours; of which, 10 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed damage to the propeller, left wing, and fuselage.
The reported wind was calm at an airport approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1353.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6780B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5014
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas B. Ferry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 27, 2002 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 1N7 · Blairstown, NJ
- Destination
- 1N7
- Airport
- 1N7 · Blairstown Airport, runway 25, 3,100 × 70 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total · 10 in this make and model · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- FWN, 15 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.