Bong Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Superior, Wisconsin 54880
Friday, November 21, 2003 11:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with a ditch following a loss of directional control while landing. The pilot reported the airplane touched down at an airspeed of 80 to 85 knots. He reported that after a brief landing roll, he tapped the brakes and the airplane pulled to the left toward the grass. The pilot reported he pulled back on the control yoke and applied light brakes as the airplane continued toward the grass. Upon seeing a drainage ditch that was perpendicular to the runway, the pilot applied power and pulled back in an attempt to clear the ditch. The airplane contacted the ditch at which time the landing gear collapsed. Inspection of the airplane's brakes following the accident failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction. Skid marks on the runway matched the track of the right main and nose gears. No tracks from the left main gear were visible until a point where the airplane had traveled into the grass. The pilot made the following recommendation as to how the accident could have been avoided. "Reduce landing touchdown speed, and after landing allow aircraft to runout and burn off speed naturally before applying brakes."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were the ditch that the airplane contacted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/21/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Superior
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54880
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 464138N
Event Location Longitude 0920541W
Event Location Airport Bong Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUW
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 674
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1115 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SUW
Elevation of weather observation facility 674
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) -1089
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15860
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 21 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Minneapolis, MN FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28693
NTSB Number CHI04LA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7940121
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Oct 22 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert J. Havrilak, Jr.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4944 Westgate Road
Aircraft Owner City Minnetonka
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55345
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MIC
Departure City Minneapolis
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SUW
Destination City Superior
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 4 2004 8:53AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --