N1470X

Substantial
None

Piper PA-28-140S/N: 28-7525307

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
NTSB Number
FTW03LA161
Location
Conroe, TX
Event ID
20030529X00741
Coordinates
30.351667, -95.414443
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

the student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind. A contributing factor was the gusting wind conditions.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N1470X
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-7525307
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1975
Model / ICAO
PA-28-140P28A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
BALLARD CHARLES A
Address
13895 FM 1097
Status
Deregistered
City
WILLIS
State / Zip Code
TX 77378
Country
United States

Analysis

On May 14, 2003, approximately 1015 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 single-engine airplane, N1470X, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control while landing at the Montgomery County Airport (CXO), near Conroe, Texas. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The supervised solo flight departed CXO approximately 1000.

The 17-hour student pilot reported he was attempting the third landing to runway 19 on his first supervised solo flight. During the landing flare, "approximately 5-6 feet off the runway my right wing jerked severely to the left." The pilot "lost control for a couple of seconds before [he] was able to level the wings. The windshear tossed the plane 40-50 degrees to the left..." Subsequently, the airplane's nose gear touched down and collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright on the left side of the runway. The pilot reported at the time of the accident, the wind was from 190 degrees at 10 knots.

An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported both wing spars were bent, and the firewall was buckled.

At 1038, the CXO automated surface observation system (ASOS) reported the wind from 190 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW03LA161