SEA05CA156

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-20-115 · Weiser, ID · July 30, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 30, 2005, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Weiser, ID
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7004KPiper PA-20-115
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 27, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20050730016979A
Case key
62110

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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and his application of excessive braking as the aircraft started to depart the side of the runway.

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
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skidLanding - roll
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - ground
Nose overLanding - roll
Brakes(normal) - excessivePilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot was practicing his landings when during the landing flare, he inadvertently let the left wing get too low, resulting in the aircraft touching down on its left main gear. Immediately after the left gear touched down on the runway surface, the aircraft started to veer to the right. The pilot was unable to get the aircraft realigned with the runway heading, and as the aircraft continued to veer further to the right, the left wing began to drag across the runway surface. As the aircraft reached the east (right) side of the runway, the pilot applied hard braking to both wheels, and the aircraft nosed over, ending up on its back about 10 feet off the side of the runway. According to the pilot, there were no problems with the aircrafts flight controls or tailwheel steering system. During a discussion with the Investigator-In-charge, the pilot stated that the aircraft simply got away from him, and that as it started to depart the side of the runway, he applied a little too much braking.

Factual narrative

On July 30, 2005, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-20-115, N7004K, nosed over during the landing roll at Weiser Municipal Airport, Weiser, Idaho. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned by the pilot's brother, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 CFR Part 91 personal proficiency flight, which began at the same location about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, who was practicing his landings, during the landing flare, he inadvertently let the left wing get too low, resulting in the aircraft touching down on its left main gear. Immediately after the left gear touched down on the runway surface, the aircraft started to veer to the right. The pilot was unable to get the aircraft realigned with the runway heading, and as the aircraft continued to veer further to the right, the left wing began to drag across the runway surface. As the aircraft reached the east (right) side of the runway, the pilot applied hard braking to both wheels, and the aircraft nosed over, ending up on its back about 10 feet off the side of the runway. According to the pilot, there were no problems with the aircrafts flight controls or tailwheel steering system. During a discussion with the Investigator-In-charge, the pilot stated that the aircraft simply got away from him, and that as it started to depart the side of the runway, he applied a little too much braking.

Aircraft

Registration
N7004K
Reported as
Piper PA-20-115
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20-109
Engine
Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Clyde Hager
Registered owner
John W Hager
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
S87 · Weiser, ID
Destination
S87

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
74
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
Medical
Class 3
Flight hours
376 total · 42 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.