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GAA19CA333

2019-06-09 · Riverside, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RIR

Current FAA registration · N6865B

Make / Model
PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture
1956 · 63 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560613
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A91C8A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to the maintain the runway heading during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in impact with runway lighting and a subsequent ground loop during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, he encountered a "strong crosswind that blew [him] to the left side of the grass." Upon landing, he observed "small grass mounds" rising higher than the mowed grass. As he continued the landing roll, he noticed the grass mounds were runway lights. The airplane hit a runway light and ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident reported that, about 38 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 15 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 24. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, the airplane encountered a "strong crosswind that blew [the airplane] to the left side of the grass." Upon landing, he observed "small grass mounds" rising higher than the mowed grass. As he continued the landing roll, he realized that the grass mounds were runway lights. The airplane hit a runway light and then ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident site reported that, about 38 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 15 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 24. 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-Heading/course-Not attained/maintained - C
  • 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
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Runway/taxi/approach light-Effect on operation - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA333.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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