Summary
On January 21, 2010, a Piper PA-28-181 (N8428H) was involved in an incident near Great Barrington, MA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper approach, failure to perform a go-around, and failure to maintain directional control while braking after a long landing.
The airplane was approaching runway 11, a 2,579-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot initially reported that the airplane touched down about one-third down the runway, the left brake "stayed on a little longer" than the right brake, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot subsequently reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form. Several witnesses, including two flight instructors, reported that the airplane approached high and fast, touched down about two-thirds down the runway, and veered off the left side of the runway during braking.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA10CA122. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8428H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper approach, failure to perform a go-around, and failure to maintain directional control while braking after a long landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The airplane was approaching runway 11, a 2,579-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot initially reported that the airplane touched down about one-third down the runway, the left brake "stayed on a little longer" than the right brake, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot subsequently reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form. Several witnesses, including two flight instructors, reported that the airplane approached high and fast, touched down about two-thirds down the runway, and veered off the left side of the runway during braking. Examination of the runway by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed even skid marks, beginning about 733 feet from the end of the runway, traveling off the left side of the runway. The FAA inspector added that the airplane subsequently struck a snowbank and sustained damage to the right wing spar. Examination of the brakes by the FAA inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The reported winds at an airport about 15 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were from 020 degrees at 6 knots; however, one of the flight instructor witnesses reported that the winds were favoring runway 29, at 5 to 10 knots, at the time of the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA122