Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 12 near Simsbury, CT — 2016-05-11

Final reportGAA16CA232
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Date
2016-05-11
Location
Simsbury, CT, USA
Airport
4B9
Aircraft
PIPER PA 12
Registration
N3506M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the airplane's subsequent impact with a fence during an attempted aborted landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that his approach to landing was faster than normal. He further reported that after the airplane bounced on touchdown he elected to abort the landing, but reported that it was too late because the airplane was at the end of the runway and impacted a fence, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 4 miles to the east, revealed that, about 20 minutes after the accident the wind was 180 degrees true at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and sky clear. The airplane landed on runway 03. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Advisory Circular (AC) 91-79A. This AC discusses the effect of a tailwind on landing distance and states in part: The effect of a tailwind on landing distance is significant and is a factor in determining the landing distance required. Given the airplane will land at a particular airspeed, independent of the wind, the principal effect of a tailwind on operational landing distance is the change in the ground speed at which the airplane touches down.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have initiated a go-around earlier after the bounce.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents2

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