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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

May 2, 1994 · Piper PA-28-180 · N8454N

Danbury, CT

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 2, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Danbury, CT
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-180
Tail Number
N8454N
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC94LA076

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. ON HIS FOURTH LANDING ON RUNWAY 35, HE STATED: '...WIND SHIFTED, TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NUMBERS ON RUNWAY CENTERLINE. APPLIED AILERON INTO WIND. LEFT WING LIFTED UP. [THE AIRPLANE] DRIFTED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE [OF THE] RUNWAY [AND] STRUCK...[A] SIGN, WHICH SHEARED OFF THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATTION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. THE CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR.

Full Narrative

On Monday, May 2, 1994, at 1338 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8453N, piloted by William B. MacDonald, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, Connecticut. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot was conducting touch and go landings. In his report, the pilot stated: [On the] fourth landing the wind shifted. Touched down at numbers on runway centerline. [I] applied aileron into wind. [The] left wing lifted up [and the airplane] drifted off the right side [of the] runway [and] struck a taxiway sign which sheared off [the] right landing gear.... The pilot reported that the winds were from 290 degrees at 12 knots. He landed on runway 35, which was 3135 feet long and 150 feet wide. At the time of the accident, the pilot had a total of 70 hours flight time.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:38 EDT
Nearest AirportDanbury Municipal (0nm)
Runway35
Runway Length3135 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-180
Tail NumberN8454N
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4 · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 38 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind290° @ 12 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point63 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data