- Date
- September 14, 2012, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- French Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7971WPiper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20120914020651A
- Case key
- 85036
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 loss of directional control during a go-around following a sudden change in wind direction.
Findings · 4
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 airplane drifted across the runway centerline during the final approach, and the pilot applied corrective control input. A gusting crosswind and high temperatures were present, and, as such, he continued the approach with the flaps retracted. He corrected for the wind by lowering the left wing, and applying right rudder control. During the flare, the wind direction shifted to a quartering tailwind, and the airplane veered to the right. Unable to keep the airplane over the runway, the pilot applied full engine power and initiated a go-around. The engine responded, but the airplane did not climb as expected, and its main landing gear made contact with the vertical stabilizer of an airplane on the taxiway. The airplane subsequently settled and landed in the adjacent parking apron, where it collided with five parked airplanes. The accident airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged, and all five parked airplanes also sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The airplane drifted across the runway centerline during the final approach, and the pilot applied corrective control input. Gusting crosswind and high temperatures were present, and as such, he continued the approach with the flaps retracted. He corrected for the wind by lowering the left wing, and applying right rudder control. During the flare, the wind direction shifted to a quartering tailwind, and the airplane veered to the right. Unable to keep the airplane over the runway, he applied full engine power and initiated a go-around. The engine responded, but the airplane did not climb as expected, and its main landing gear made contact with the vertical stabilizer of an airplane on the taxiway. The airplane subsequently settled and landed in the adjacent parking apron, where it collided with five parked airplanes. Both the accident airplane, and all five parked airplanes, sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7971W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-2023
- Airframe hours
- 2,842
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 2012 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- SDM · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- F70 · French Valley, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- F70 · French Valley, runway 18, 6,000 × 75 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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 24, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,858 total · 715 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KRIV, 20 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB 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.
Other investigations on N7971W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.