N7646W – PIPER PA28 – 2016-12-15 NTSB Accident Report

On December 15, 2016, a Piper PA28 (N7646W) was involved in an incident near Madisonville, TN. 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing with a gusting crosswind.

The student pilot reported that during landing after a cross-country solo flight, as the main landing gear touched down the airplane encountered a crosswind and he lost control of the airplane. He further reported that the airplane exited the right side of the runway and came to rest in the tree(s).

The student pilot reported there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

There was no local historic weather observation facility within 25 nautical miles of the accident airport, but the student pilot reported the wind direction variable, at 5 nautical miles per hour (knots), gusting 10 knots. The student pilot landed runway 5.

This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA096. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7646W.