Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the aborted landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local practice flight. After entering the traffic pattern, the pilot attempted to align the airplane with the runway while compensating for the crosswind. Just before touchdown, he elected to abort the landing, but after increasing engine power and retracting the flaps, the airplane began to drift off the left side of the runway and porpoise. The airplane eventually struck the ground and the right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA284 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 8, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Ozark, Alabama
- Nearest airport
- Blackwell Field (71J)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-28-140
- N-number
- N6881W
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.