Piper PA22 accident near Fayetteville, Tennessee, May 11, 2020
On May 11, 2020 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1956 Piper PA22, registered N4454A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fayetteville, Tennessee (Fayetteville Muni 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 gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2020 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, Tennessee · Fayetteville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150, built 1956 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N4454A · registry record · serial 22-3787
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was performing touch and go landings. On his third landing, he knew there was a crosswind from his left side, so he touched down with the left main landing gear first. When the right main landing gear touched down, the airplane started to veer off to the left, so he corrected with right rudder and the airplane pulled hard to the right. The pilot then saw a ditch on the right side of the runway, so he applied "hard left rudder" to purposefully put the airplane into a ground loop so the airplane would not go off the runway and into the ditch. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear fractured and folded under the fuselage. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right main landing gear tube fractured, and that the fracture surfaces did not display corrosion. The right wing rear spar and the lower longeron were substantially damaged. Examination of the flight controls and brakes showed no evidence of any preaccident anomalies. At the time of the accident a left crosswind component of between 9 and 17 knots prevailed.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 234 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 166 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,144.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 2,144 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FYM Fayetteville TN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: FYM Fayetteville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 5,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from FYM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 8, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record – Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photo's | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.