- Date
- December 17, 2008, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ely, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N845DPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviaiton Administration
- FAA report
- 20081217854869A
- Case key
- 73159
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident were the reduced left main landing gear wheel rotation for undetermined reasons and the snow-covered runway.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
About 5 minutes after takeoff, the airplane's cabin door opened about 1/4 inch. The pilot returned and landed on runway 30, which was snow-covered. The pilot stated that during the landing rollout, he noticed the airplane pulling "slightly" to the left, which he attributed to a stuck left main landing gear wheel. He applied right rudder to keep the airplane on the runway centerline, but as the airplane slowed it pulled more to the left. The pilot stated that he did not reduce or shut down engine power but instead used 1,200 rpm in an attempt to increase rudder effectiveness. He also did not use right brake to maintain directional control. The airplane impacted a snow bank, damaging the right wing tip and outboard section of the wing. The pilot reported that the left wheel plowed through the snow on the runway and did not rotate during the landing. The pilot and passenger were uninjured.
Factual narrative
The pilot had flown his airplane into the departure airport earlier in the day. The airplane was placed into a hangar where the pilot later returned to preflight the airplane. The 1453 winds at the airport were from 260 degrees at 5 knots. Following the preflight, he started the airplane in the hangar and taxied to runway 30 (5,600 feet by 100 feet), which was covered with 1 inch of snow. The rudder pedals steered the airplane normally during the taxi to the runway. About 5 minutes after takeoff the cabin door opened about 1/4 inch. The pilot returned and landed on runway 30, which was still snow covered. The pilot stated that during the landing rollout, he noticed the airplane pulling "slightly" to the left, which he attributed to a stuck left main landing gear wheel. He applied right rudder to keep the airplane on the runway centerline, but as the airplane slowed, it pulled more to the left. The pilot stated that he did not reduce or shut down engine power but instead used 1,200 rpm in an attempt to increase rudder effectiveness. He also did not use right brake to maintain directional control. The airplane impacted a snow bank damaging the right wing tip and outboard section of the wing. The outboard section of the right wing exhibited a deformation of the upper wing skin, which was orientated about 45 degrees relative to the wing span axis. The airplane was equipped with landing gear wheel fairings. The pilot reported that the left wheel plowed through the snow on the runway and did not rotate during the landing. The pilot and passenger were uninjured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N845D
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (236)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8211029
- Airframe hours
- 2,864
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-540-J3A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 2008
- Departed
- ELO · Ely, MN
- Destination
- FCM · Eden Prairie, MN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ELO · Ely Municipal Airport, runway 30, 5,600 × 100 ft, snow
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 189 total · 65 in this make and model · 109 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 5 °F, dew point -9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ELO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.