Piper PA-11 N78659

Summary

On 9 March 2024 at about 18:39 local time, a Piper PA-11 registered N78659 was involved in an accident near Death Valley, California, 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

9 March 2024 at 18:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Death Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Furnace Creek (L06)

Coordinates

36.4600, -116.8800

Aircraft

Piper PA-11

Registration

N78659

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Inyokern → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24LA107

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, resulting in a ground loop and 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 tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing rollout and as the airplane slowed, rudder inputs became less effective. The airplane began to veer to the left, then departed the left side of the runway and ground looped. The airplane struck a runway sign located approximately 30 ft from the runway, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.