No fatalities

28 Feb 2009: PIPER PA-28R-200 — M.Y. Air Corp — Fallbrook, CA

Fallbrook, CA, United States

On 28 Feb 2009, a PIPER PA-28R-200 operated by M.Y. Air Corp was involved in an aviation accident near Fallbrook, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper use of the brakes and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing rollout. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that after landing, an optical illusion caused by a mound in the runway led him to lock the brakes and skid off into brush.

Event Details

A pilot flying a single-engine airplane arrived from the northeast and entered an extended right base leg for landing to the south at an altitude of 1,700 feet mean sea level, which is the pattern altitude. The reported winds were calm at 3 knots from the south. Before becoming established on the base leg, the pilot had selected full flaps and lowered the landing gear.

Pilot Account

The pilot stated that by the time he turned onto final approach, the airplane "may have seemed slightly high, speed was good and descent rate appeared good." He landed on the first half of the runway, but noted that the airplane floated a little and touched down further than anticipated. The rollout proceeded normally until the airplane reached a slight mound in the runway. According to the pilot, this mound created an optical illusion that made the runway's end appear closer than it actually was.

Outcome

Reacting to the perceived shortened runway, the pilot locked the brakes. The airplane skidded off the runway and came to rest in the brush. The pilot did not report any injuries or further details about damage to the aircraft.

Contributing factors

Incorrect use/operationPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilot