A low time PA28 pilot ground looped an aircraft while landing in a crosswind. A major factor was the...

Attributes
ACN	697152
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : s50.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32.9 flight time total : 75.6 flight time type : 32.9
ASRS Report	697152
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Was returning to FBO after an uneventful leisure flight. After touchdown; while braking; the left wheel locked causing the plane to skid off the side of the runway. The plane came to rest facing nearly opposite the landing direction. There was a considerable; but not unusual crosswind that I don't think was a great factor. Touchdown was center line; wings level. I was trying to shorten landing ground roll; and believe that I may have hit the brake too abruptly. Once I was aware that the plane was skidding; I was not able to regain control. My attempt to expedite departure from the runway was; I believe; the greatest factor leading to the incident. I just received my private pilot certificate; and feel that lack of experience prevented me from being able to correct the problem before it became an incident. After debriefing with an instructor; I now believe that the crosswind was indeed the greater contributing factor to the occurrence. I am looking forward to further training on dealing with crosswinds to help rebuild my confidence and improve my knowledge and ability. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot confirmed that he was flying a PA28 and that he has received remedial training in crosswind landings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PA28 PILOT GROUND LOOPED AN ACFT WHILE LANDING IN A CROSSWIND. A MAJOR FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.

Narrative: WAS RETURNING TO FBO AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LEISURE FLT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN; WHILE BRAKING; THE L WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING THE PLANE TO SKID OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLANE CAME TO REST FACING NEARLY OPPOSITE THE LNDG DIRECTION. THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE; BUT NOT UNUSUAL CROSSWIND THAT I DON'T THINK WAS A GREAT FACTOR. TOUCHDOWN WAS CENTER LINE; WINGS LEVEL. I WAS TRYING TO SHORTEN LNDG GND ROLL; AND BELIEVE THAT I MAY HAVE HIT THE BRAKE TOO ABRUPTLY. ONCE I WAS AWARE THAT THE PLANE WAS SKIDDING; I WAS NOT ABLE TO REGAIN CTL. MY ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE DEP FROM THE RWY WAS; I BELIEVE; THE GREATEST FACTOR LEADING TO THE INCIDENT. I JUST RECEIVED MY PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE; AND FEEL THAT LACK OF EXPERIENCE PREVENTED ME FROM BEING ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB BEFORE IT BECAME AN INCIDENT. AFTER DEBRIEFING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR; I NOW BELIEVE THAT THE CROSSWIND WAS INDEED THE GREATER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE OCCURRENCE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO FURTHER TRAINING ON DEALING WITH CROSSWINDS TO HELP REBUILD MY CONFIDENCE AND IMPROVE MY KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PILOT CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS FLYING A PA28 AND THAT HE HAS RECEIVED REMEDIAL TRAINING IN CROSSWIND LANDINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A low time PA28 pilot ground looped an aircraft while landing in a crosswind. A major factor was the crosswind.