Yuma Interantional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuma, Arizona 85364
Tuesady, April 20, 1993 9:47 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS CHANGED HER RUNWAY ASSIGNMENT SEVERAL TIMES AND SHE SAID SHE WAS QUITE TENSE. THE PILOT SAID SHE WAS CONFUSED AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 21L INSTEAD OF 26. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER LEFT. THE PILOT SAID SHE ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT, THE LEFT WING TOUCHED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS FULL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING AND HER FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S LOW TOTAL EXPERIENCE, 2) THE FUEL IMBALANCE BETWEEN THE WING FUEL TANKS, AND 3) THE MENTAL PERFORMANCE OVERLOAD CREATED BY THE MULTIPLE RUNWAY ASSIGNMENT CHANGES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 947
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City YUMA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85364
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YUMA INTERANTIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YUM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 213
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 947 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID YUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 632
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 12 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51619
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3656R
NTSB Number LAX93LA214
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-5760
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 26 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 5960
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEVIN L. WILEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 826 CAMINO DE FRAY MARCOS
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85718
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JANIS K. JOHNSON-FITZGERAL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 826 CAMINO DE FRAY MARCOS
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85718
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code E14
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21L
Runway Length 9239
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --