Piper PA-28-180 N4760L

Summary

On 22 August 1998 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N4760L was involved in an accident near Hurricane, Utah, United States. 2 people were 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

22 August 1998 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hurricane, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Hurricane (1L8)

Coordinates

37.2290, -113.2399

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N4760L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesquite → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA370

Nobody was injured.

The pilot inadvertently inducing a porpoise oscillation, and his failure to maintain directional control. A factor was the excessive landing airspeed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the pilot took off from Mesquite, Nevada, he heard 'a loud popping sound' and the airplane 'shook a brief moment.' He thought he had struck an animal or other object. He flew over the runway but saw nothing. He landed at Hurricane, Utah, at 80 knots (92 mph), and used 'slight cross control to compensate for the crosswind,' applied 'light' brake pressure, and raised the flaps. The airplane started to veer to the right. The pilot said he corrected with opposite rudder, but it had no effect. When he applied full left rudder and brakes, the airplane 'began to hop and acted as if it was going over on the left wing.' The airplane departed the right side of the runway and collided with a ditch. Photographs taken at the accident site showed the nose wheel bent and collapsed to the right. There was a dark scuffing mark angling off the runway at a 15 degree angle. According to the photographer, there were also dark scuffing 'chatter' marks down the runway. A airport mechanic and an FAA inspector examined the nose landing gear, steering linkage, and brakes, and reported finding no evidence of a mechanical failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.