Piper PA-28-181 N2903A

Summary

On 23 July 2009 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N2903A, operated by Plus One Flyers, was involved in an accident near Metaline Falls, Washington, 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

23 July 2009 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Metaline Falls, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Sullivan Lake State (09S)

Coordinates

48.8408, -117.2839

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N2903A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Plus One Flyers

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ione → Metaline Falls

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA363

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure, during the landing roll, to identify the end of the runway and stop the airplane within the space available.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing on the unimproved mountain airstrip, he did not apply the brakes as he intended to “coast” up to the end of the runway, and then depart in the opposite direction, downhill. The pilot did not identify the end of the runway until the last moment when he applied the brakes and full right rudder. However, the airplane exited the runway and impacted a ditch, resulting in the collapse of the left main landing gear. The pilot stated that he had identified the red runway end marker in the air, but could not see it in the tall grass until it was too late. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left main landing gear assembly. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or flight control system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.