What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On or about February 14, 2022, at approximately 1350 CST, a 1968 Piper PA-24-140, a fixed-wing single-engine airplane bearing the registration of N237CS (sn: 28-24230), sustained minor damage after going off of the left side of runway 19 following a landing at Ford Airport (imt) in Iron mountain, MI. privacy data omitted Was the pilot-in-command (PIC) of N237CS and stated that the intended flight's purpose was to practice to prepare for an upcoming private pilot check ride. According to the PIC, he was conducting this flight under the provisions of title 14 of the code of federal regulations (14 CFR) part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the following is the weather observation from imt near the time of the incident:
METAR
Kimt 141854Z auto VRB05KT 10SM clr M09/M18 A3016 rmk A02 SLP242 T10941183
Kimt 141954Z auto 26004KT 10SM clr M09/M18 A3016 rmk A02 UPB31E40 SLP244 P0000 T10891183
The PIC, a student pilot, was the aircraft's sole occupant when the incident occurred and did have a valid solo endorsement from a certified flight instructor. The PIC stated that after he landed on runway 19, which appeared to be clean and dry, the airplane began to turn hard to the left and he applied right rudder but it kept veering left. The aircraft eventually went off the side of the runway, impacting the snow lining the runway, sheering the nose wheel from the strut, the plane pitched forward and came to a stop. The PIC did exit the aircraft without further incident.
Airworthiness inspectors on scene stated that their inspection of the aircraft did not uncover any mechanical abnormalities. They noted there were not heavy skid marks on the runway and no flat spots were noted on the aircraft tires.
This inspector did make contact with the pic's primary flight instructor. The flight instructor stated that he provided 2 hours of ground instruction to the pilot after the incident.
Based on the investigation, it is this inspectors opinion, this incident was due to pilot induced error. The student pilot did not possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to correctly interpret the situation.
As the FAA filed it
ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 14, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 1350 CST, A 1968 PIPER PA-24-140, A FIXED-WING SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE BEARING THE REGISTRATION OF N237CS (SN: 28-24230), SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AFTER GOING OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 19 FOLLOWING A LANDING AT FORD AIRPORT (IMT) IN IRON MOUNTAIN, MI. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) OF N237CS AND STATED THAT THE INTENDED FLIGHT'S PURPOSE WAS TO PRACTICE TO PREPARE FOR AN UPCOMING PRIVATE PILOT CHECK RIDE. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, HE WAS CONDUCTING THIS FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (14 CFR) PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND THE FOLLOWING IS THE WEATHER OBSERVATION FROM IMT NEAR THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT:
METAR
KIMT 141854Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR M09/M18 A3016 RMK A02 SLP242 T10941183
KIMT 141954Z AUTO 26004KT 10SM CLR M09/M18 A3016 RMK A02 UPB31E40 SLP244 P0000 T10891183
THE PIC, A STUDENT PILOT, WAS THE AIRCRAFT'S SOLE OCCUPANT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND DID HAVE A VALID SOLO ENDORSEMENT FROM A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE PIC STATED THAT AFTER HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 19, WHICH APPEARED TO BE CLEAN AND DRY, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO TURN HARD TO THE LEFT AND HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER BUT IT KEPT VEERING LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT EVENTUALLY WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTING THE SNOW LINING THE RUNWAY, SHEERING THE NOSE WHEEL FROM THE STRUT, THE PLANE PITCHED FORWARD AND CAME TO A STOP. THE PIC DID EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS ON SCENE STATED THAT THEIR INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT UNCOVER ANY MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES. THEY NOTED THERE WERE NOT HEAVY SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY AND NO FLAT SPOTS WERE NOTED ON THE AIRCRAFT TIRES.
THIS INSPECTOR DID MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PIC'S PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE PROVIDED 2 HOURS OF GROUND INSTRUCTION TO THE PILOT AFTER THE INCIDENT.
BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION, IT IS THIS INSPECTORS OPINION, THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO PILOT INDUCED ERROR. THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES TO CORRECTLY INTERPRET THE SITUATION.