# NTSB NYC94LA026: Piper PA-602P, N6891M, Falls Of Rough, KY, October 24, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 24, 1993, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Falls Of Rough, KY - Coordinates: 37.600521, -86.550453 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6005&lon=-86.5505&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38713 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38713/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA026 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RUNWAY, RESULTING IN A TAXI OFF THE RUNWAY TO AVOID CONFLICT, ONTO SOFT TERRAIN, AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, taxi - to takeoff - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - soft (cause) - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, ON THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT HE MADE A RADIO CALL AND LOOKED BOTH WAYS PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RUNWAY, BUT SHORTLY AFTER COMMENCING THE TAXI ON THE RUNWAY, HE OBSERVED A TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. HE MADE A RADIO CALL TO THE AIRPLANE, BUT HE BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT SEE HIM; THEREFORE, HE TAXIED OFF THE PAVED SURFACE ONTO SOFT TERRAIN. WHEN HE ATTEMPETD TO TAXI BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, DAMAGING THE WING SPAR. ## Factual narrative On Sunday, October 24, 1993, at 1030 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-602P, N6891M, registered to and piloted by Steven E. Lynn, sustained substantial damage while taxiing for takeoff at the Rough River State Park Airport, Falls of Rough, Kentucky. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was operating under 14 CFR 91. The pilot was back taxiing on runway 20, in preparation for takeoff on runway 02. There was no control tower at this airport, so he made radio calls on the airport frequency stating his intentions. He stated that after he taxied onto the runway, he observed an airplane on final approach for that runway. He made a radio call requesting the airplane to go-around. The airplane did not respond to this call, so the pilot of N6891M taxied off the runway surface onto the grass. The terrain was soft, and as he attempted to taxi back onto the paved runway, the right landing gear collapsed, penetrating the wing and damaging the main wing spar. Mr. Nick F. Weber, Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, conducted an examination of the airplane and interviewed the pilot and a witness. In his report, Mr. Weber stated: According to the pilot, the aircraft had taken runway 20 to back taxi for takeoff when he noted another aircraft approaching on short final for landing. N6891M departed the runway onto the adjacent soft turf...When the pilot attempted to taxi back onto the runway, the right main gear collapsed, damaging the right wing spar... Mr. Weber's report continued: A witness...stated that he saw N6891M take the runway for takeoff. He also saw a light twin- engine aircraft on short final. N6891M immediately departed the runway onto soft sod... ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6891M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6891M-2010-05-07), registration cancelled 2010-05-07, S/N 62P08798165015, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-602P - Registry model: [Piper AEROSTAR 602P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-aerostar-602p) (registry code 7106014) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 62P0879816 - Airframe hours: 820 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-AA1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Steven E. Lynn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 11, 1993, 80 hours before - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 2I3, Rough River State Park, runway 20, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 1,750 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 10 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19931024052399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931024052399A), Oct 24, 1993: Piper PA60602P, Falls Of Rough, KY, Substantial damage. Back taxiing saw aircraft on final. Taxied off runway. Soft turf. Right main gear collapsed taxiing onto runway. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.