La Belle Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Belle, Florida 33935
Wednesday, March 20, 1991 9:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE GRASS ADJACENT TO RWY 14 WITH A WIND FROM THE EAST AT 5 KTS, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT AFTER HE REACHED DOWN & PULLED THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. THE ACFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT WHICH COLLAPSED THE RT MAIN & NOSE LANDING GEARS & CAME TO REST. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE RT GEAR, THE BRAKE LINE BROKE. IT WAS REPLACED & NO FURTHER BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED & FLOWN FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE TO THE NEW OWNER'S FACILITY. THE OWNER STATED THAT THE BRAKES OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN USING THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FACT THAT THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION WHEN HE PULLED THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LA BELLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33935
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LA BELLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X14
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 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 248
Weather Observation Facility ID FMY
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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) 427
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43714
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25459
NTSB Number MIA91LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-81A0001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 1628
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRANT, WARREN & NEWBURY, FRED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4020 RAINBOW CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City LA BELLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33935
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GRANT, WARREN & NEWBURY, FRED
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4020 RAINBOW CIRCLE
Operator City LA BELLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33935
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 805
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --