20210228001769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA 46-350P · Aspen, CO · February 28, 2021

Date: February 28, 2021 · 11:13 local
Place: Aspen, CO
Airport: Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6962S
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA186
Reported as: Piper PA 46-350P
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 246 total55 in this make and model55 in the last 90 days

N6962SRegistered now · Piper PA 46-350PS/N 4636272 · Built 2000 Airframe modelPiper PA 46-350P Engine modelLycoming TIO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

During rollout following a normal landing, the aircraft drifted to the left. Pilot corrected with right rudder and braking. Aircraft went off of the runway briefly, skidded on some packed snow and then came back onto the runway. When the aircraft returned to the runway, the nose gear collapsed.

As the FAA filed it

DURING ROLLOUT FOLLOWING A NORMAL LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. PILOT CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKING. AIRCRAFT WENT OFF OF THE RUNWAY BRIEFLY, SKIDDED ON SOME PACKED SNOW AND THEN CAME BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE RUNWAY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.

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 CEN21LA186Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAspen, COThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control on landing.Feb 28, 2021 · Substantial damage