Piper PA28 N8538N

Summary

On 10 December 2023 at about 17:13 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N8538N was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. 2 people were 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

10 December 2023 at 17:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lubbock Preston Smith Intl (LBB)

Coordinates

33.6623, -101.8098

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N8538N

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Borger → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA059

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing that resulted in a runway excursion, an impact with a runway sign, and a nose gear collapse.

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 approach the airplane was flying “3-5 mph faster than normal” to account for the gusting wind condition. Just prior to the nosewheel touching down, the pilot felt a “strong gust that pulled the nose of the aircraft into the wind.” As the nosewheel touched down, the pilot applied right rudder, and the airplane departed the runway. The airplane impacted a runway sign, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright with a nose down attitude. The two occupants were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.