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ERA13CA284

2013-06-08 · Ozark, Alabama, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 71J

Current FAA registration · N6881W

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28-140
Year of manufacture
1965 · 48 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19650810
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9237F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the aborted landing.

Factual narrative

The student pilot was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local practice flight. After entering the traffic pattern, the pilot attempted to align the airplane with the runway while compensating for the crosswind. Just before touchdown, he elected to abort the landing, but after increasing engine power and retracting the flaps, the airplane began to drift off the left side of the runway and porpoise. The airplane eventually struck the ground and the right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local practice flight. After entering the traffic pattern, the pilot attempted to align the airplane with the runway while compensating for the crosswind. Just before touchdown, he elected to abort the landing, but after increasing engine power and retracting the flaps, the airplane began to drift off the left side of the runway and porpoise. The airplane eventually struck the ground and the right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_ERA13CA284.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.