Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-38-112 near Mt. Vernon, MO — 2012-06-12

Final reportCEN12LA362
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Date
2012-06-12
Location
Mt. Vernon, MO, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-38-112
Registration
N2510B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to continue the landing on a short grass runway with a tailwind after touching down beyond the touchdown point, and his subsequent failure to stop the airplane before colliding with trees off the end of that runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was attempting to land on a grass strip with a tailwind. However, the airplane overshot the approach end of the runway by about 1,000 feet before it touched down; the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it went off the runway and collided with trees. The pilot was operating without a valid medical certificate, and a review of his logbook revealed that his last logged flight occurred about 8 years before the accident. His most recent biennial flight review was about 19 years before the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land on the east end of the runway instead.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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