Wings Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422
Thursday, December 20, 2007 8:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo student pilot of the Piper PA28 stated that he applied left rudder to compensate for a "slight" left crosswind while on approach to land on Runway 06. At touchdown, having "never let off left rudder," the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a culvert and two signs. A post flight inspection revealed damage to the propeller, nose landing gear, and firewall. The student pilot reported 78 total hours of flight experience, 31 hours in make and model, and reported no deficiencies with the performance and handling of the airplane. At the time of the accident, the winds reported at the airport were from 280 degrees at 3 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Blue Bell
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19422
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400804N
Event Location Longitude 0751635W
Event Location Airport Wings Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LOM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 820 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KLOM
Elevation of weather observation facility 302
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23499
NTSB Notification Source Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Philadelphia, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4814L
NTSB Number NYC08CA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4154
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 3075
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Norman M. McAvoy
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Villanova
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19085
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KLOM
Departure City Blue Bell
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KLOM
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 16 2008 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --