NTSB Factual Report

On March 26, 2005, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2368E, was substantially damaged while landing at the Hamburg Airport (4G2), Hamburg, New York. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Sandusky, Michigan. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he departed from Sandusky, Michigan at 1200. During the flight to 4G2, the airplane made a "very loud unknown noise." The attitude gauge then became inoperative and was spinning around in circles. Soon after, the airplane began to intermittently yaw in a drifting manner. The pilot continued, and executed a landing to runway 01, a 2,465-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, asphalt runway, at the Hamburg Airport. During the landing, the airplane made an abrupt left turn after the nose wheel touched down on the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the turn by applying right rudder; however, the rudder had no effect. The airplane continued off the runway surface, proceeded across a grass area, and came to rest in a ditch.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage after the accident. He observed substantial damage to both wings. The inspector did not observe any anomalies with the flight or engine controls.

The FAA inspector also noted deep tire marks in the immediate soft grass area to the left of the runway.

The accident flight was the pilots first flight in the make and model airplane.

The winds recorded at an airport 16 miles to the northeast of Hamburg, about the time of the accident, were from 340 degrees, at 5 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.