Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment and subsequent collision with some bales of hay.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
After a normal three-point landing, the aircraft began drifting to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The pilot stated in her report that she applied hard right rudder and brake without success. The aircraft entered a furrow that parallels the runway and collided with some tightly packed, heavy bales of hay. Examination of the brakes and flight controls found no discrepancies, nor did the pilot report any to the FAA afterwards. The pilot told the FAA inspector that the aircraft got away from her.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 12, 1995, at 1047 hours Pacific daylight time, the pilot of an experimental Pitts S-1S, N715L, departed off the left side of runway 25R at Livermore Municipal Airport, Livermore, California. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time. The winds were reported from 230 degrees at 7 knots. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The pilot departed an hour earlier for a local pleasure flight. According to the pilot, the aircraft began drifting to the left on rollout after a normal three-point landing. The aircraft did not respond to control inputs and the aircraft departed the runway. The aircraft proceeded parallel to the runway with the main landing gear wheels in a dirt furrow. The aircraft then collided with some tightly packed, heavy bales of hay from a recent mowing. The pilot reported to an Federal Aviation Administration inspector afterwards that there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft and that the aircraft got away from her. -