Accident Sequence
After turning onto final approach for landing at his home airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-28-140 selected 25 degrees of flaps and reduced speed to 80 miles per hour. While on approach, the airplane encountered a slight crosswind from east to west, causing a drift to the right of the runway centerline, which the pilot corrected. Touchdown was smooth, but immediately afterward the airplane began to veer to the right.
Pilot Actions
The pilot attempted to correct the veer using left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to the right. It departed the paved runway surface and struck a runway sign with the left wing, substantially damaging the wing structure. After striking the sign, the airplane traveled onto a taxiway. The pilot then released pressure on the left rudder pedal, and the airplane ground looped to the right, left the taxiway, rolled forward about 50 feet, and came to rest.
Post-Accident Inspection
The pilot stated a belief that the right brake may have been "hanging up" and that the landing should have been aborted when the veer began. A review of witness statements did not reveal evidence of a brake malfunction nor clarify whether the brakes were functioning properly. A cursory visual examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no brake anomalies.