Piper PA32 accident near Jacksonvile, Florida, November 7, 2009
On November 7, 2009 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA32, registered N100LW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Jacksonvile, Florida (Herlong Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 2009 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonvile, Florida · Herlong Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 301 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N100LW · registry record · serial 32-8006091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 11 after conducting a VFR approach to the airport following a cross country flight. According to the pilot, a cross wind pushed the airplane to the right hand side of the runway while on the landing rollout. The pilot stated that he overcorrected for the crosswind and exited the runway to the left. The runway excursion subsequently resulted in the collapse of the nose gear, damage to the propeller and wrinkled the firewall. The pilot was uninjured in the accident. There were no prior mechanical anomalies reported. The wind at the time of the accident was from 070 degrees at 8 knots with gusts up to 17 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 605 hours in all; 172 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 605 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 17, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KISM Kissimmee FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KHEG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from KVQQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.