Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-12 near Mount Holly, NJ — 2009-08-18

Final reportERA09LA468
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Date
2009-08-18
Location
Mount Holly, NJ, USA
Airport
VAY
Aircraft
PIPER PA-12
Registration
N7556H
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

A loss of directional control during landing for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that after he lowered the tailwheel to the runway on landing, the airplane became "squirrely" and veered to the left. He attempted to correct the trajectory with the application of "full left rudder and brake," but the airplane departed the dry paved surface of the 50-foot-wide runway and ground-looped in the grass on the left side of the runway. The pilot believed that the non-pilot-rated passenger had inadvertently interfered with the airplane controls, but the passenger denied any interference. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and stated that the tailwheel centering mechanism was "weak," and could "easily" be moved out of the centered position. An FAA-conducted functional check of the left brake system determined that the system operated normally. The right braking system was damaged in the accident, which precluded a functional check, but the FAA inspector reported that a visual check did not reveal any preaccident failures.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing due to wind conditions and passenger's brake usage.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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