NYC03LA105

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-22-150 · Roanoke, VA · May 12, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 12, 2003, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
Place
Roanoke, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
CFKLWPiper PA-22-150
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 5, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
56980

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 inadequate compensation for winds, and failure to maintain directional control. A factor in this accident was the gusty wind conditions.

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 - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The pilot was landing on runway 24, when the airplane experienced a wind gust just after touchdown. The airplane became airborne again and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane impacted on a taxiway, which damaged the horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, rudder, right elevator, and portions of the fuselage. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions. Winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 290 degrees at 19 knots, with 30 knot gusts.

Factual narrative

On May 12, 2003, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, Canadian registry CFKLW, was substantially damaged while landing at the Roanoke Regional Airport, Roanoke, Virginia. The foreign certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The airplane was owned by the pilot, and had been converted from a tri-cycle to tail-wheel landing gear configuration.

The pilot reported he was landing on runway 24, a 6,800-foot long, 150-foot wide, asphalt runway, when he experienced a wind gust, just after touchdown. The airplane became airborne again, turned sideways, and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane impacted on a taxiway, which damaged the horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, rudder, right elevator, and portions of the fuselage.

The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

The pilot reported 1,800 hours of total flight experience, which included about 1,000 hours in make and model.

Winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 290 degrees at 19 knots, with 30 knot gusts.

Aircraft

Registration
CFKLW
Reported as
Piper PA-22-150
Category
Airplane
Serial number
6190
Airframe hours
5,788
Engine
Lycoming 150-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Allen Hickey
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · January 25, 2003 · 40 hours before
Departed
DNL · Augusta, GA
Destination
ROA · Roanoke, VA
Airport
ROA · Roanoke Regional Airport, runway 24, 6,800 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
78
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,800 total · 1,000 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 19 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
7,500 ft broken
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 41 °F
Altimeter
29.78 inHg
Observed at
ROA