PIPER PA-28-236

Front Royal, VA — August 14, 2011

Event Information

DateAugust 14, 2011
Event TypeACC
NTSB NumberERA11CA452
Event ID20110814X63451
LocationFront Royal, VA
CountryUSA
Coordinates38.91750, -78.25195
AirportFront Royal-Warren County Airp
Highest InjuryMINR

Aircraft

MakePIPER
ModelPA-28-236
CategoryAIR
FAR Part091
Aircraft DamageSUBS

Conditions

Light ConditionDAYL
WeatherVMC

Injuries

Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
None0
Total Injured1

Event Location

Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point.

Full Narrative

According to the pilot, he was overflying the airport when he had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. He circled north of the airport and performed a straight-in, stabilized approach to the runway with 25 degrees of flaps. The pilot reduced the power as he crossed the runway threshold and made a normal landing. According to a witness, the airplane landed approximately halfway down the runway and was traveling very fast. The witness stated that the brakes were applied, the airplane swerved, and then it departed the right side of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment and came to rest in a ditch resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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