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GAA15CA263

2015-09-07 · Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport DYL

Current FAA registration · N1125X

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28R-200
Year of manufacture
1975 · 40 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19750509
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A036BE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to land with sufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue during the flight.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing, she "landed at the last 1000' of available runway and attempted to stop the aircraft using toe brakes and aerodynamic braking, but this was insufficient." The airplane departed the runway into the grass and the right wing struck a taxiway light. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot also stated, "I feel this accident could have been prevented by executing a go-around and trying a lower approach as opposed to trying to save the landing. I attribute this lack of judgment to fatigue." The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that during the landing, she "landed at the last 1000' of available runway and attempted to stop the aircraft using toe brakes and aerodynamic braking, but this was insufficient." The airplane departed the runway into the grass and the right wing struck a taxiway light. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right wing.  The pilot also stated, "I feel this accident could have been prevented by executing a go-around and trying a lower approach as opposed to trying to save the landing. I attribute this lack of judgment to fatigue."  The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.   Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Surface speed/braking-Not attained/maintained - C
  • F Personnel issues-Physical-Alertness/Fatigue-(general)-Pilot - F
  • — Environmental issues-Operating environment-Airport facilities/design-Taxiway lighting-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA15CA263.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around). All research papers