No fatalities

9 May 2014: PIPER PA 22-150 — Meadville, PA

Meadville, PA, United States

On 9 May 2014, a PIPER PA 22-150 was involved in an aviation accident near Meadville, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted go around in gusty wind conditions which resulted in a collision with terrain. 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 landing, a wind gust caused loss of directional control, leading to a go-around attempt. During transition, right gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage.

Incident Description

The pilot diverted to an alternate airport after determining that the winds at the intended destination were too strong. While on short final approach, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left. The pilot initiated a go-around, but the gust subsided, prompting the pilot to abort the go-around and proceed with the landing.

After touchdown, the pilot reduced the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. As the airplane slowed to 40 mph, it was struck by a perpendicular gust. The left wing lifted, causing a mild swerve to the left side of the runway.

Pilot Actions

To counteract the swerve, the pilot applied full aileron deflection and full right rudder inputs. Despite these efforts, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. Subsequently, the pilot applied full power to initiate another go-around.

Outcome

During the transition from ground roll to takeoff, the right landing gear collapsed. The right wingtip and propeller then impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation