Defuniak Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Defuniak Springs, Florida 32433
Friday, June 6, 2014 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he was flying the airplane to a nearby airport for a maintenance inspection. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the pilot received current wind information from a pilot on the ground. He then configured the airplane to land and flew a "normal approach." During landing, the main landing gear touched down just past the displaced threshold while the airplane was travelling at 77 knots. The airplane "bounced" and, while in the air, the pilot held the airplane at a "normal landing attitude." The airplane was then "hit by a gust of wind" from the left and the airplane veered to the left, departed the runway, and continued over grass. The nose landing gear impacted a mound of dirt and collapsed. The airplane traveled a few hundred feet past the mound and eventually came to rest in a nose down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall and engine mounts. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that could have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control in gusty wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/2014
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Defuniak Springs
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32433
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 304331N
Event Location Longitude 0860908W
Event Location Airport DEFUNIAK SPRINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 54J
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 289
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID CEW
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KCEW 061953Z AUTO 24007KT 10SM FEW050 34/21
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) 32865
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2014 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2890Z
NTSB Number ERA14CA284
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-28-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier 201T
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7921089
Certified Max Gross Weight 2899
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
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 Nov 10 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8182
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name TURBO D LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Shalimar
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32579
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name TURBO D LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Shalimar
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32579
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 DTS
Departure City DESTIN
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 54J
Destination City Defuniak Springs
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2014 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 4146
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --