Piper PA-20 N1645A

Summary

On 1 June 1996 at about 19:30 local time, a Piper PA-20 registered N1645A was involved in an accident near Pasco, Washington, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 June 1996 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pasco, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Tri-Cities (PSC)

Coordinates

46.4105, -118.8998

Aircraft

Piper PA-20

Registration

N1645A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA107

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and collapse of the left main gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot, who was flying solo at the time of the accident, reported that during the landing roll, the aircraft's left wing dropped and that he was unable to counter this wing drop with aileron. He stated that the tailwheel-equipped aircraft began a 'sweeping [right-hand] turn' at this point. He indicated on a sketch of the accident sequence that a 'L.H. tire skid mark' began at the point where the uncontrollable wing drop occurred, curving to the right until its termination point on the runway pavement, where he stated he believed the gear collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the right shoulder of the runway. FAA Advisory Circular 61-21A, Flight Training Handbook, states that pilots of tailwheel aircraft must be especially vigilant for directional control problems during the after-landing roll since the aircraft's center of gravity is behind the main wheels, and notes that ailerons and rudder become less effective as the airplane slows during the landing roll. The pilot reported that he had 87.4 total pilot hours including 33.8 hours in type, 16.4 solo hours in type, and 45.8 hours of tailwheel aircraft time; and had received his solo and tailwheel endorsements within the previous 2 1/2 months.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.