Piper PA 20S N7329K

Summary

On 23 October 2016 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA 20S registered N7329K was involved in an accident near Arcadia, Florida, 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

23 October 2016 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Arcadia, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Arcadia Muni (X06)

Coordinates

27.1956, -81.8403

Aircraft

Piper PA 20S

Registration

N7329K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manatee River → Arcadia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA040

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper pitch and power control during landing in a straight float-equipped airplane on grass in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he ferried the straight float-equipped airplane to a grass airstrip for an annual inspection. During landing on the grass airstrip in crosswind conditions, the pilot reported that upon touchdown he applied back pressure to the controls and added power, but the airplane lifted and came back down quickly. The crosswind had drifted the airplane to the left and as the airplane began to slow on the runway the pilot felt the left float buckle. Subsequently, the left wing and nose impacted the ground and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind as 060 degrees true at 10 nautical miles per hour, and not gusting. The pilot landed on runway 31. The pilot reported that the grass had just been cut, and that it would have been better if there had been dew on the grass. He further reported that the crosswind drifted the airplane to the left causing the left float to collapse. He wrote that he should have returned home and come back the following day when there was dew on the grass and no headwind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.