# Accident 20210112000229A: Piper PA-32R-301, Sparta, MI, January 12, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 12, 2021, 17:00 local time
- Place: Sparta, MI
- Airport: Paul Miller Sparta
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.1300° N, 85.6724° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1300&lon=-85.6724&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35718, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35718) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301 (registry code 7103218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32R-301
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,546 total, 1,335 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210112000229A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JANUARY 12, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 17:00 EST, A PIPER SARATOGA, N35718, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN PRIOR TO THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 25 AND  STRUCK A SNOW BANK AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND APPROXIMATELY ¼ INCH OF ICE ON ALL LEADING EDGES OF THE AIRFRAME. THE NOSE GEAR HAD COLLAPSED, RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, AND THE LEFT MAIN HAD COLLAPSED UNDER THE AIRPLANE.

INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITH AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN FILED.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 6,000 FEET AND WAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS.  HE ENTERED THE CLOUDS AROUND 4,000 FEET.  PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOT THE APPROACH (RNAV 25) INTO SPARTA AND WAS ON GLIDE PATH AND WAS ON THE PRECISION APPROACH PATH INDICATOR (PAPI).  HE STATED THAT HE STRUCK THE SNOWBANK AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.  THE SNOWBANK HAD COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP 1,000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY.

WEATHER AT GRAND RAPIDS (KGRR) (16 MILES SOUTH, SOUTHEAST OF 8D4) HAD REPORTED WINDS 190 AT 7 KT, 4 MILES VISIBILITY IN MIST, CLOUDS OVERCAST AT 900 FEET, TEMPERATURE MINUS 1 CELSIUS, DEW POINT MINUS 3 CELSIUS, AND ALTIMETER 30.01 INHG.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN21LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA112), Jan 12, 2021: Piper PA-32R-301 (N35718), Sparta, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glideslope during final approach, which resulted in contact with a snowbank at the approach end of the runway.

## Other reports on N35718 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19951220045089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951220045089I), Dec 20, 1995: Piper PA32R301 (N35718), Knob Noster, MO. Narrative: PIC, operating N35718, transitioned the Whiteman afb class d airspace from east to west at 2,800 ft. MSL enroute to grain valley airport, e. Kansas…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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