20190121015549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Chignik, AK · January 21, 2019

Date: January 21, 2019 · 13:05 local
Place: Chignik, AK
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: HXXC
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N995AK
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC19CA010
Reported as: Piper PA-31-350
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,259 total380 in this make and model89 in the last 90 days

N995AKRegistered now · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-7752089 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 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.

Pilot was enroute from pajc to kcl. No awos/asos available. Pilot overflew kcl to identify runway conditions. Pilot picked runway 4 due to wind and terrain conditions. Pilot stated that runway looked wet and muddy. Upon touchdown pilot applied brakes and realized that the runway was icy. Pilot chose to leave flaps down and utilize aerodynamic braking hoping to find improved braking action. Approximately halfway down the 2200 foot runway pilot realized that he was not going to be able to stop and pilot was not confident that he could safely get back into the air. Pilot used differential power in an attempt to turn the aircraft around or slide onto a nearby parallel road. The aircraft turned 180 degrees and slid off the side of the runway. Pilot applied full power to decelerate and the left landing gear hit a snow berm and collapsed. The aircraft slid approximately 50 feet before coming to a stop. The pilot secured the aircraft and exited out the entrance door.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS ENROUTE FROM PAJC TO KCL. NO AWOS/ASOS AVAILABLE. PILOT OVERFLEW KCL TO IDENTIFY RUNWAY CONDITIONS. PILOT PICKED RUNWAY 4 DUE TO WIND AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS. PILOT STATED THAT RUNWAY LOOKED WET AND MUDDY. UPON TOUCHDOWN PILOT APPLIED BRAKES AND REALIZED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS ICY. PILOT CHOSE TO LEAVE FLAPS DOWN AND UTILIZE AERODYNAMIC BRAKING HOPING TO FIND IMPROVED BRAKING ACTION. APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY DOWN THE 2200 FOOT RUNWAY PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP AND PILOT WAS NOT CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD SAFELY GET BACK INTO THE AIR. PILOT USED DIFFERENTIAL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND OR SLIDE ONTO A NEARBY PARALLEL ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180 DEGREES AND SLID OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO DECELERATE AND THE LEFT LANDING GEAR HIT A SNOW BERM AND COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT SECURED THE AIRCRAFT AND EXITED OUT THE ENTRANCE DOOR.

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 ANC19CA010Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportChignik Lagoon, AKThe pilot’s selection of an unsuitable runway for landing, which resulted in a loss of control and runway excursion.Jan 21, 2019 · Substantial damage