Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 12 near Angleton, TX — 2017-12-20

Final reportCEN18LA071
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Date
2017-12-20
Location
Angleton, TX, USA
Airport
LBX
Aircraft
PIPER PA 12
Registration
N47FP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The passenger's inadvertent activation of the left brake during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal flight with a passenger. He indicated that after an uneventful flight, he performed a pattern approach to the runway for a touch-and-go landing. After touchdown, when the pilot lowered the left wheel to the ground, the airplane immediately and uncontrollably veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and immediately held the stick full right and aft to keep the airplane from ground looping or cartwheeling. The pilot was unable to regain directional control of the airplane, and it departed the runway to the left and collided with two precision approach path indicator lights before coming to a stop. Braking marks on the runway and grass correlated to the left main landing gear tire as it passed from the runway surface onto the grass. Postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies with the left brake system. After the brake examination, the pilot stated that the passenger could have inadvertently had his foot on the brake pedal during the landing rollout. Because the examination did not reveal any anomalies with the brakes, it is likely that the passenger inadvertently activated the left brake pedal during the landing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have ensured passenger's feet were clear of brake pedals before landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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