On October 11, 2006, a Piper PA-28R-201T (registration N8122T) operated by Richard D. Fellers was involved in an aviation accident near Lebanon, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in the aircraft departing the runway and impacting a Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) standard. The VASI standard near the side of the runway was a factor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a full-stop landing, an aircraft veered right, then left, departing the runway and striking a VASI standard before sliding into a ditch. Substantial damage occurred. No flight control or brake anomalies were found.
Accident Description
Approximately 100 feet into the landing roll of an intended full-stop landing, the aircraft suddenly veered sharply to the right. In response, the pilot attempted to correct the deviation by steering back to the left. During this corrective action, the aircraft departed the left side of the runway. It subsequently struck a Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) standard and then slid into an adjacent ditch. The impact with the VASI standard resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.
Investigation Findings
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft was conducted. Examination of the flight controls, nose wheel steering linkage, and wheel braking system revealed no anomalies. The source does not provide a probable cause for the accident.