What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 08, 2026, at 1641 local time, a Piper PA-46-310P aircraft, privacy data omitted, registered to non-ts travel LLC. And flown by a commercial pilot sustained minor damage following a landing to the east of and alongside runway 18/36, Elkhart municipal airport, Elkhart, Indiana. Visual flight rules (VFR) meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. No injuries to the pilot were reported.
According to the pilot, he was enroute from blane MN.to Elkhart in. As a final destination. The pilot had requested runway 18/36 at Elkhart as his preferred runway due to it short after landing taxi. Tower had given the conditions of the requested runway as mostly snow covered and compacted and runway 09/27 as mainly clear. Tower personnel suggested the use of runway 9/27. The pilot still requested runway 18/36. The pilot landed his aircraft between two berms which he thought were the edges of the runway.
The pilot further stated, he could see lights on one side which he thought was the right edge of the runway. Once the main gear of the aircraft settled into the crusty snow pack the aircraft nose gear caught the snow and folded back dropping the nose into the snow onto the ground.
Investigation found minor damage to the nose area of the aircraft. No damage to the rest of the aircraft. The wings and fuselage appear undamaged.
Weather reported: kekm 082135Z auto 10009KT 10SM clr M05/M11 A3034 rmk AO2 T10541113
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 08, 2026, AT 1641 LOCAL TIME, A PIPER PA-46-310P AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO NON-TS TRAVEL LLC. AND FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LANDING TO THE EAST OF AND ALONGSIDE RUNWAY 18/36, ELKHART MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ELKHART, INDIANA. VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT WERE REPORTED.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ENROUTE FROM BLANE MN.TO ELKHART IN. AS A FINAL DESTINATION. THE PILOT HAD REQUESTED RUNWAY 18/36 AT ELKHART AS HIS PREFERRED RUNWAY DUE TO IT SHORT AFTER LANDING TAXI. TOWER HAD GIVEN THE CONDITIONS OF THE REQUESTED RUNWAY AS MOSTLY SNOW COVERED AND COMPACTED AND RUNWAY 09/27 AS MAINLY CLEAR. TOWER PERSONNEL SUGGESTED THE USE OF RUNWAY 9/27. THE PILOT STILL REQUESTED RUNWAY 18/36. THE PILOT LANDED HIS AIRCRAFT BETWEEN TWO BERMS WHICH HE THOUGHT WERE THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY.
THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, HE COULD SEE LIGHTS ON ONE SIDE WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. ONCE THE MAIN GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE CRUSTY SNOW PACK THE AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR CAUGHT THE SNOW AND FOLDED BACK DROPPING THE NOSE INTO THE SNOW ONTO THE GROUND.
INVESTIGATION FOUND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT. NO DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE APPEAR UNDAMAGED.
WEATHER REPORTED: KEKM 082135Z AUTO 10009KT 10SM CLR M05/M11 A3034 RMK AO2 T10541113
Other reports on N9080X · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.