Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mountain Grove Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mountain Grove, Missouri 65711
Sunday, December 21, 2003 16:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was substantially damaged during landing when it departed the runway pavement and encountered a ditch. The pilot estimated the wind during the accident flight at five knots or less. He noted that the pre-takeoff brake check was normal and the takeoff was uneventful. The pilot stated that upon landing the aircraft began pulling to the left. He reported that he applied full right rudder and right brake. However, the aircraft began tracking toward the left side of the runway and subsequently departed the pavement. The aircraft encountered a small ditch and the left main landing gear collapsed. A local pilot reported observing the aircraft's approach and thought that it was slightly high and fast. She also recalled hearing one, louder than normal "chirp" of the tires on the runway during landing touchdown, leading her to think the pilot had made a "hard 3 point landing." The president of the flying club from which the pilot had rented the aircraft reported having a conversation concerning the accident with the pilot. He commented to the pilot that, during a crosswind landing situation in the model aircraft involved, it "would be easy to push with the toes to lock the brake." The pilot reportedly responded that "that was probably the case." A post-accident inspection revealed the left main landing gear had collapsed and damaged the left wing. The left main tire had a hole worn through the tread area. The brake system on the left main landing gear was examined. No anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure were observed. The runway exhibited tire marks beginning approximately 1,400 feet from the threshold and continuing, virtually uninterrupted, to the point the aircraft departed the pavement. The marks in the grass continued from that point to the aircraft's resting position in the ditch. The initial skid mark was associated with the left main landing gear. It continued approximately 275 feet and paralleled the runway centerline. The mark was characterized by a single, continuous line with the exception of two short breaks. The skid mark produced by the left main gear tire changed to a set of two parallel marks characteristic of a flat tire. At this point, the mark indicated that the aircraft began tracking toward the left side of the runway and was continuous until it left the pavement. A single, continuous skid mark associated with the right main landing gear tire began about the time the aircraft started tracking to the left.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Improper use of the brakes during landing by the pilot, resulting in failure of the left main landing gear tire and a loss of directional control. Contributing factors were the failure of the main landing gear, as well as the grass and the ditch adjacent to the runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/21/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Mountain Grove |
| Event State | MISSOURI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 65711 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 370715N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0921840W |
| Event Location Airport | Mountain Grove |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 1MO |
| 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 | 1476 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 125 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UNO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1228 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15655 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 21 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1739 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-Kansas City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N56598 |
| NTSB Number | CHI04LA048 |
| 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-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7435016 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 10 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 75 |
| Airframe Hours | 4527 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | R&R Pilots Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 46891 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kansas City |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 64188 |
| 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 | 1MO |
| Departure City | Mountain Grove |
| Departure State | MO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1545 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 1MO |
| Destination City | Mountain Grove |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 16 2004 9:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 3590 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |