Piper PA-28R-201 N963WW

Summary

On 28 March 2008 at about 19:15 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201 registered N963WW was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 2008 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT)

Coordinates

33.6911, -112.9033

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201

Registration

N963WW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08CA097

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who was training for her certified flight instructor certificate, was returning to the airport. Following the first touch down on the runway, she felt that "...something was wrong with the rudder pedals." She felt a slight tugging to the right, but once the airplane was airborne again she no longer felt this tugging. She then retracted the landing gear. As she was on downwind, she extended the landing gear and the green light for the nose gear momentarily flickered but became a solid green light. As she turned onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, she verified that the landing gear were down and locked. Upon touchdown, she immediately felt the airplane tugging to the right side and decided to abort the takeoff. The pilot began to pull the power back to idle and apply braking, while leaving the flaps extended. As she applied the brakes, the airplane pulled to the right, which felt to the pilot like the right brake was locked. The pilot removed her feet from the brakes evenly and the airplane turned quickly to the right. She attempted to correct with left rudder inputs; however, the airplane collided with a sign and sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that there were marks on the runway, consistent with the airplane touching down with the landing gear not pointed directly down the runway. Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions with the landing gear or braking system. Review of the maintenance records did not indicate any recent discrepancy reports involving the landing gear or braking system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.