20040302003389A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA 46-350P · Montgomery, AL · March 2, 2004

Date: March 2, 2004 · 11:20 local
Place: Montgomery, AL
Airport: Dannelly Field
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N91734
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA114
Reported as: Piper PA46350P
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,875 total1,200 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N91734Registered now · Piper PA 46-350PS/N 4622040 Airframe modelPiper PA 46-350P Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Mr. Howard robertson was flying aircraft N91734. Mr. Robertson landed on runway 28 with a crosswind from the left. After touchdown as the aircraft was decelerating the aircraft suddenly yawed to the left. Mr. Robertson stated that he started correcting for the yaw but the correction felt stronger than the aircraft could handle to maintain wings level and not spin the aircraft to the right. He then allowed the aircraft to drift to the left and continued to decelerate while continuing the correct for the yaw. The aircraft exited the runway on the left side of the runway onto the grass. After approximately twenty yards the nose gear dug into the soft grass causing it to collapse. After the nose gear collapsed the prop struck the ground causing the engine to stop. The aircraft rotated to the left coming to a stop about ninety degrees from the direction of travel. Winds reported at 1053 LCL 200@12KT, winds reported at 1153 LCL 2100@09KTS, ATIS winds at time of landing 200@10KTS.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. HOWARD ROBERTSON WAS FLYING AIRCRAFT N91734. MR. ROBERTSON LANDED ON RUNWAY 28 WITH A CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS DECELERATING THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY YAWED TO THE LEFT. MR. ROBERTSON STATED THAT HE STARTED CORRECTING FOR THE YAW BUT THE CORRECTION FELT STRONGER THAN THE AIRCRAFT COULD HANDLE TO MAINTAIN WINGS LEVEL AND NOT SPIN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. HE THEN ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT AND CONTINUED TO DECELERATE WHILE CONTINUING THE CORRECT FOR THE YAW. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ONTO THE GRASS. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWENTY YARDS THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT GRASS CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE. AFTER THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED THE PROP STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP. THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE LEFT COMING TO A STOP ABOUT NINETY DEGREES FROM THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. WINDS REPORTED AT 1053 LCL 200@12KT, WINDS REPORTED AT 1153 LCL 2100@09KTS, ATIS WINDS AT TIME OF LANDING 200@10KTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04LA114Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMontgomery, ALThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain directional control during landing roll that resulted in the collapse of the nose gear. The crosswind was a contributing factor.Mar 2, 2004 · Substantial damage