Piper PA-16 N5921H

Summary

On 1 July 2002 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-16 registered N5921H was involved in an accident near Moneta, Virginia, 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 July 2002 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Moneta, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Smith Mountain Lake (W91)

Coordinates

37.1078, -79.5925

Aircraft

Piper PA-16

Registration

N5921H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Culpeper → Moneta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02LA128

Nobody was injured.

The loss of a clip and subsequent loss of the spring on the right side of the tail wheel assembly, for undetermined reasons, which led to a loss of directional control. A factor was the berm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane abruptly veered to the left and departed the runway. The pilot regained directional control after the airplane had swerved about 60 degrees from the runway. In the process of returning to the runway, the right main landing gear struck an earthen berm about 16 inches high, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the tail wheel side spring, between the rudder horn and tailwheel, on the right side of the tail wheel assembly, was disconnected, and the clip which held the spring in place was missing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.