Aviat A1 N337AM

Summary

On 22 October 2017 at about 13:29 local time, a Aviat A1 registered N337AM was involved in an accident near Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 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

22 October 2017 at 13:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Williamsport Rgnl (IPT)

Coordinates

41.2392, -76.9306

Aircraft

Aviat A1

Registration

N337AM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reedsville → Williamsport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA022

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to verify that the parking brake was disengaged before landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tundra-tired, tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during touchdown, he saw that the left emergency brake was partially engaged. He added that the left wheel was locked and that the airplane exited the left side of the runway. Subsequently, the right landing gear collapsed, and the right wing tip struck the ground. He added that, before the previous takeoff from a grass airstrip, he had performed his preflight checklist, which was normal. But, "upon reflection," he realized that he had changed his normal routine by shutting down the engine, setting the parking brakes, and exiting the airplane after completing the checklist. After re-entering the airplane, he only did a "visual left to right flow check." He then pressed and released the brakes and applied power holding the left rudder and brake down to turn the airplane in the direction of the departure and then departed after a "very short ground roll downhill." He further added that, by immediately turning left during the takeoff roll, he "may not have released enough pressure on the parking brake to turn it completely off." He believed that, due to the combination of the large smooth tire, wet grass, and downslope hill, he was unable to determine that the emergency parking brake was engaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.