Short Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dover, Tennessee 27058
Thursday, March 15, 2012 12:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was taking off on a turf runway; during the takeoff roll, about the time of rotation, a gust of wind pushed the airplane into a stack of tires that marked the runway’s left boundary. The pilot completed the takeoff; however, the left main landing gear had sustained damage during the impact with the tires. The pilot subsequently returned and landed on the same runway. During the landing, the left side of the airplane settled onto the ground due to the damaged left main landing gear, which resulted in ground contact that substantially damaged the left wing. Postaccident examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind at an airport about 30 miles northeast of the accident site was from 250 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots about the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with an object and a landing gear collapse during the subsequent landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Dover
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27058
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 362403N
Event Location Longitude 0875930W
Event Location Airport Short Creek Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8TN7
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 390
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID CKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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) 30320
NTSB Notification Source Nashville FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 10 2012 10:14AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3779T
NTSB Number ERA12CA232
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-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-30091
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
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 Mar 26 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 5730
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HULSART BRUCE W
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37058-5455
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HULSART BRUCE W
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City DOVER
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37058-5455
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 8TN7
Departure City Dover
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CKV
Destination City Clarksville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 10 2012 10:14AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2560
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --