What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot reported weather indicates crosswind and gust conditions were a primary contributor to the accident. Pilot reported crosswind of 6KTS gusting to 21KTS; pilot indicated gusts caused the aircraft to veer to the left. Historical weather data did not validate pilot reported weather. Current metars at the approximate time of accident: pafa 280353Z 06011KT 10SM SCT200 M12/M23 A2991 rmk AO2 SLP143 T11171228 -to- pafa 280453Z 05012KT 10SM SCT200 M15/M23 A2991 rmk AO2 SLP144 T11501233. Aircraft touched down and subsequently veered to the left, leaving the runway. The aircraft hit hard, crusty snow, which collapsed the forward landing gear. PA-32 cherokee nose gear is attached to the engine mount structure. The engine mount and firewall were damaged by the event.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORTED WEATHER INDICATES CROSSWIND AND GUST CONDITIONS WERE A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ACCIDENT. PILOT REPORTED CROSSWIND OF 6KTS GUSTING TO 21KTS; PILOT INDICATED GUSTS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE LEFT. HISTORICAL WEATHER DATA DID NOT VALIDATE PILOT REPORTED WEATHER. CURRENT METARS AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF ACCIDENT: PAFA 280353Z 06011KT 10SM SCT200 M12/M23 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP143 T11171228 -TO- PAFA 280453Z 05012KT 10SM SCT200 M15/M23 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP144 T11501233. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND SUBSEQUENTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, LEAVING THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD, CRUSTY SNOW, WHICH COLLAPSED THE FORWARD LANDING GEAR. PA-32 CHEROKEE NOSE GEAR IS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT STRUCTURE. THE ENGINE MOUNT AND FIREWALL WERE DAMAGED BY THE EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.