No fatalities

14 Aug 2013: PIPER PA-20 — CSIZMAZIA JOSEPH — Aurora, OR

Aurora, OR, United States

On 14 Aug 2013, a PIPER PA-20 operated by CSIZMAZIA JOSEPH was involved in an aviation accident near Aurora, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the right. 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

During the landing roll, a wind gust from the right caused the airplane to weathervane. Left rudder ineffective at slow speed; left brake applied late. The airplane ground-looped, collapsing the left main landing gear and damaging the left wing.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported an incident that occurred during the landing roll when the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right. This gust caused the airplane to weathervane to the right. The pilot stated that due to the airplane's slow speed, left rudder input was ineffective. By the time he applied the left brake, the airplane had already ground-looped.

Damage and Mechanical Condition

The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Actions

The pilot's account indicates that the wind gust initiated a directional control challenge during the landing roll. The combination of slow speed and gusty conditions reduced the effectiveness of rudder inputs, and brake application was not timely enough to prevent the ground loop.

Probable cause

The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the right.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome