No fatalities

23 Oct 2015: MCPHERSON JOHN G PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER NO SERIES — Placerville, CA

Placerville, CA, United States

On 23 Oct 2015, a MCPHERSON JOHN G PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Placerville, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped airplane encountered turbulence over the runway threshold, bounced on touchdown, and during the landing roll the left wing rose causing a left turn. The pilot's corrective inputs were insufficient, and the airplane exited the runway, traveling down an embankment before stopping. The right wing sustained substantial damage.

Accident Sequence

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing approach, the airplane encountered terrain-induced turbulence as it crossed the runway threshold. This resulted in a bounce upon touchdown. During the subsequent landing roll, the left wing rose, and the airplane began a "sweeping turn to the left."

Pilot Actions and Runway Excursion

The pilot attempted to correct the unintended left turn by applying right rudder and right brake. Despite these inputs, the airplane continued to the left, departing the runway surface. It traveled approximately 25 feet down an embankment before coming to a stop.

Damage and Mechanical Status

The right wing sustained substantial damage during the excursion. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Report Summary

In the pilot's report, he attributed the bounce to turbulence over the runway threshold. No further details regarding weather conditions or time of day were provided. The aircraft's registration and specific model were not disclosed in the report.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation