Piper PA-12 N7670H accident near Lampasas, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported, that while conducting a full stop landing, he was concerned with a military helicopter about ¾ of the way down the right side of the runway. Due to the helicopter’s position, he reduced the engine power to idle and touched down about 10 mph faster than usual. During the rollout, the pilot overcorrected to the left, the airplane tilted to the right, and the right wing contacted the ground. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there was a possibility of rotor wash from the military helicopter. There was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA090 for the full record.