- Date
- November 9, 2003, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Westfield, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3194ZPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20031109028819A
- Case key
- 58315
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 aircraft control while landing.
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 student pilot reported that the wind was variable at 5 knots while he was landing on a 9,000-foot long, 150-foot wide, asphalt runway. During the rollout, the wind picked up the left wing of the airplane. The student pilot attempted to correct with left aileron input, but the right wing struck the runway. The airplane then struck a taxiway sign and came to rest upright. The reported wind about the time of the accident was variable at 3 knots.
Factual narrative
On November 9, 2003, about 0915 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-18, N3194Z, was substantially damaged while landing at Barnes Municipal Airport (BAF), Westfield, Massachusetts. The certificated student 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 student pilot reported that the wind was variable at 5 knots while he was landing on runway 20; a 9,000-foot long, 150-foot wide, asphalt runway. After touchdown, during the rollout, the wind picked up the left wing of the airplane. The student pilot attempted to correct with left aileron input, but the right wing struck the runway. The airplane then "ground looped," struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest upright.
The student pilot reported a total flight experience of approximately 100 hours; of which, all were in the make and model, and 2 1/2 hours were as solo pilot.
The reported wind at BAF, at 0853, was variable at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3194Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7190
- Airframe hours
- 3,702
- Engine
- Continental C-90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles F. Andrews
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 18, 2003 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- BAF · Westfield, MA
- Destination
- BAF
- Airport
- BAF · Barnes Municipal Airport, runway 20, 9,000 × 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 100 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.68 inHg
- Observed at
- BAF
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 N3194Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.