Piper PA 28-180 accident near Manchester, New Hampshire, September 1, 2019
On September 1, 2019 at about 8:57 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA 28-180, registered N7777W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Manchester, New Hampshire (Manchester 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with approach lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2019 · about 8:57 pm local time
- Place
- Manchester, New Hampshire · Manchester · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 No Series, built 1964 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7777W · registry record · serial 28-1781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during landing with a crosswind, the airplane veered left. He then applied the brakes, but the airplane continued to veer left. The airplane exited the runway, impacted precision approach path indicator lights, and came to rest in grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 130° at 10 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 06.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- 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 Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 94 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,845.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-250-A3A (piston); 2,400 hours total
- Operator: Ammon Roadable Aircraft, Llc
The flight
- Departed from: MHT Manchester NH at 8:57 pm
- Destination: MHT Manchester NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 7,651 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KMHT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Damage Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.