- Date
- May 26, 2010, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- St. George, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N40800Piper PA-28R-200
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20100526005069A
- Case key
- 76133
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he and a passenger flew to St. George on a scenic flight. When approaching St. George, the pilot reported that the wind was generally from the south to southwest; however, with each weather report update the wind direction and speed varied, and the winds were gusty. On final approach, the pilot noted that he needed a significant amount of left rudder and right aileron pressure to maintain alignment with the center line of the runway. Just before landing, the pilot released some of the right aileron pressure and the airplane drifted left of the runway centerline. When the main gear touched the ground the pilot applied full right aileron pressure. At that time, the airplane briefly lifted off the ground again and the nose turned to the left. The airplane began to veer off the left side of the runway into the dirt on the side of the runway towards a set of hangars. The pilot stated that he thought about performing a go-around, but did not think he would have cleared the hangar. At this point the pilot applied the brakes to stop the airplane but impacted the hangar. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he and a passenger flew to St. George on a scenic flight. When approaching St. George, the pilot reported that the wind was generally from the south to southwest; however, with each weather report update the wind direction and speed varied, and the winds were gusty. On final approach, the pilot noted that he needed a significant amount of left rudder and right aileron pressure to maintain alignment with the center line of the runway. Just before landing, the pilot released some of the right aileron pressure, and the airplane drifted left of the runway centerline. When the main gear touched the ground the pilot applied full right aileron pressure. At that time, the airplane briefly lifted off the ground again and the nose turned to the left. The airplane began to veer off the left side of the runway into the dirt on the side of the runway towards a set of hangars. The pilot stated that he thought about performing a go-around, but did not think he would have cleared the hangar. At this point the pilot applied the brakes to stop the airplane but impacted the hangar. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40800
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7435128
- Airframe hours
- 11,227
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pinnacle Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- Pinnacle Aviation Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 14, 2010 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- KHND · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- KSGU · St. George, UT
- Airport
- KSGU · St. George Municipal, runway 16, 6,606 × 100 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
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 23, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 288 total · 27 in this make and model · 173 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGU
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 603 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.