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GAA17CA281

2017-05-15 · South Boston, Virginia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport W78

Current FAA registration · N31JP

Make / Model
PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture
1956 · 61 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560409
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3454E

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered to the left and he "could not keep the [airplane] on [the] runway using full right rudder." The airplane exited the left side of the runway, continued to turn to the left about 180°, encountered an embankment, and the right main gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground and the airplane came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that about the time of the accident, on the accident airport, the wind was 060° at 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 19. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered to the left, and he "could not keep the [airplane] on [the] runway using full right rudder." The airplane exited the left side of the runway, continued to turn to the left about 180°, hit an embankment, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 060° at 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 19. 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-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-(general)-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA17CA281.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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