Accident Details
On January 8, 2010, at approximately 0700 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N29285, veered off the runway and collided with a sign at Apple Valley, California. The airplane was being operated by Midfield Aviation under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a rental aircraft. The certificated private pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI) check pilot were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron.
The local instructional flight had departed Apple Valley about 0600. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Flight and Sequence
The pilot completed five touch-and-go landings on runway 18. During the last landing rollout, when the airplane was traveling at about 5 knots, it began to veer to the right. The pilot attempted to correct by applying left rudder and left brake. The check airman also applied left brake. Despite these inputs, the airplane continued drifting to the right, departed the runway, and collided with a taxiway sign. The right main landing gear folded; the wing and aileron sustained substantial damage.
Post-accident Examination
The owner of the airplane was a Federal Aviation Administration certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic. He examined the airplane after the accident and completed the repairs. He reported that no mechanical anomalies were discovered with the brakes or other airplane systems during the repair process.