What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was returning from madera California. He was cleared for the straight-in visual approach to runway 31 at the Palo Alto airport. The winds were reported at 340 degrees at 15 knots. The pilot used the side slip cross wind techique for the landing. During the landing roll the aircraft nose drifted left of centerline. The pilot stated he used right rudder to correct the deviation. However he overcorrected causing the airplane to depart the runway to the right (northwest side). After travelling approxmatelly 300 feet along the right side of the runway. The aircraft struck a metal pipe; bending the nose wheel strut, firewall and belly of the aircraft. The nose wheel, and assocated wheel and faring where distroyed. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM MADERA CALIFORNIA. HE WAS CLEARED FOR THE STRAIGHT-IN VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31 AT THE PALO ALTO AIRPORT. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 340 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THE PILOT USED THE SIDE SLIP CROSS WIND TECHIQUE FOR THE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT NOSE DRIFTED LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT STATED HE USED RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT THE DEVIATION. HOWEVER HE OVERCORRECTED CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO DEPART THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT (NORTHWEST SIDE). AFTER TRAVELLING APPROXMATELLY 300 FEET ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A METAL PIPE; BENDING THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT, FIREWALL AND BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE WHEEL, AND ASSOCATED WHEEL AND FARING WHERE DISTROYED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.