# NTSB WPR14LA146: Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC42 550FG, N112FP, Truckee, CA, March 21, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 21, 2014, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC) - Place: Truckee, CA - Coordinates: 39.317779, -120.138885 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3178&lon=-120.1389&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 3, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 88968 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14LA146 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88968/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88968 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA146 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during both the landing and the subsequent attempted go-around. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, before landing, he obtained the current weather for the destination airport, which indicated that wind was from 260 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 19 knots. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for runway 29 and conducted an uneventful landing. Shortly after, the airplane suddenly veered left. The pilot attempted to regain directional control by applying rudder; however, he felt that the airplane was going to tip left, so he decided to initiate a go-around. During the attempted go-around, the airplane exited the runway surface, bounced, and struck terrain adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On March 21, 2014, about 1550 Pacific daylight time, a Columbia Aircraft MFG LC42-550FG, N112FP, sustained substantial damage during a go-around at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK), Truckee, California. The airplane was registered to Mouki Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from Palo Alto, California, about 1450, with an intended destination of TRK.In a written statement, the pilot reported that as he neared TRK, he obtained the weather at TRK from the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), noting the wind was from 260 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for runway 29, a 7,000-foot long and 100-foot wide asphalt runway. The pilot stated that he landed normally and about 8 to 10 seconds later, the airplane suddenly veered abruptly to the left towards uneven terrain. The pilot attempted to correct using rudder control, however, felt that the airplane was going to tip to the left and he decided to initiate a go-around. During the attempted go-around, the airplane exited the runway surface, bounced, and struck terrain between runway 29 and taxiway alpha. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest nose low. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuselage was structurally damaged. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would preclude normal operation was found. ## Aircraft - Registration: N112FP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: COLUMBIA AIRCRAFT MFG LC42 550FG (550FG) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 42545 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 609 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-550-N 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 23, 2013 - Departed: Palo Alto, CA - Destination: TRK, Truckee, CA - Airport: TRK, Truckee-Tahoe, runway 29, 7,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 20, 2012; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 451 total, 9 in this make and model, 318 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 10 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KTRK ## 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 20140321002829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140321002829A), Mar 21, 2014: Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC42-550FG, Truckee, CA, Substantial damage. Approximately 8 to 10 seconds after landing, the aircraft pulled hard to the left towards uneven terrain. The pilot said he applied right rudder but felt the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88968. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411321&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement - (w/photos) (item 2, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411322&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20-%20(w%2Fphotos)-Redacted.PDF 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.