# NTSB CEN11LA345: Socata TBM-850, N1UL, Salem, OH, May 19, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 19, 2011, 08:43 local (12:43 UTC)
- Place: Salem, OH
- Coordinates: 40.948055, -80.861946 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9481&lon=-80.8619&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 30, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Cleveland FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 79147
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA345
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/79147/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=79147
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA345

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a stabilized glide path which resulted in the airplane touching down short of the runway.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR go-around: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR go-around: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he flew an instrument approach and was clear of clouds about 650 feet above ground level when he proceeded visually to the airport. About 1/2 mile from the runway, he thought the airplane was too high, but a few seconds later the airplane felt like it had an excessive rate of descent. His attempts to arrest the rate of descent were unsuccessful, and the left main landing gear struck the ground about 120 feet prior to the runway threshold. The recorded data downloaded from the airplane's non-volatile memory showed that the airplane's airspeed varied from about 71 - 81 knots indicated airspeed (IAS) during the 10 seconds prior to ground impact. The data also indicated that there was about a 3 - 5 knot tailwind during the final landing approach. The airplane's stall speed with the airplane in the landing configuration with landing flaps was 64 knots IAS at maximum gross weight. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or system failure of the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On May 19, 2011, at 0843 eastern daylight time, a Socata TBM-850, N1UL, sustained substantial damage when the airplane impacted the terrain about 120 feet prior to the approach end of runway 10L (3,404 feet by 50 feet, asphalt) at the Salem Airpark (38D), Salem, Ohio. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured, but a third passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Urschel Air Leasing, LLC, and operated by Urschel Laboratories, Inc., as a business flight under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ), Valparaiso, Indiana, at 0722. The pilot reported that Akron Approach Control cleared the flight to fly the GPS-A instrument approach to 38D. At GEOFF, the final approach fix, the airplane was level at 3,000 feet above mean sea level (msl). The pilot lowered the landing gear and the flaps to begin the descent. The airplane broke out of the clouds about 1,800 feet msl and the pilot proceeded visually to the airport. He circled to the right in order to make a landing on runway 10. The pilot reported that the winds were a direct crosswind from 190 degrees at 10 knots. He reported that he had calculated that the landing distance would be 1,400 feet, and he intended to land near the approach end of the runway. He turned onto the final leg about 2 miles from the airport while maintaining about 85 - 90 knots indicated airspeed (IAS) on the approach with full flaps and descending about 400 feet per minute. He reported that about 1/2 mile from the runway, he thought the airplane was too high, but "a few seconds later" the airplane felt like it "literally just dropped out of the sky." He immediately applied full power and pitched the nose up to perform a go-around, but "the application of power was too late" and the left main landing gear struck the ground about 120 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane came to a stop about 120 feet past the runway threshold on the left side of the runway. The Garmin GPS 1000 MFD (multi-function display) flash card, which recorded the airplane's performance and waypoint data, was downloaded. The recorded data indicated that the airplane's airspeed varied from about 71 - 81 knots IAS during the 10 seconds prior to ground impact. The data also indicated that the airplane's ground speed averaged about 3 - 5 knots higher than the IAS during the final approach. The Socata TBM-850 Pilot Operating Handbook indicates that the stall speed with the airplane in the landing configuration with landing flaps was 64 knots IAS at maximum gross weight. The pilot indicated in his report to the National Transportation Safety Board that there was no mechanical malfunction or system failure of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1UL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1UL-2011-08-29), registration cancelled 2011-08-29, S/N 564 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SOCATA TBM-850
- Registry model: [Socata TBM 700](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tbm-700) (registry code 8682000) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-66-series) (registry code 52118, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 564
- Airframe hours: 187
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66D 850 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Urschel Laboratories
- Registered owner: Urschel Air Leasing, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 25, 2011
- Departed: VPZ, Valparaiso, IN
- Destination: 38D, Salem, OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: 38D, Salem Airpark, runway 10L, 3,404 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 31, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 932 total, 76 in this make and model, 879 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: YNG, 20 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20110519008699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110519008699A), May 19, 2011: Socata TBM 700, Salem, OH, Substantial damage. This was an IFR flight was from vpz to 38D. Executed a vor-gps-a approach to 38D. Runway is 3400 feet long. Calculated the landing roll to be 1400 feet. The…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=79147. 8.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349086&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349100&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF
- GPS-A Approach Plate (item 3, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349087&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=GPS-A%20Approach%20Plate-Master.PDF
- GPS Plots on a Map (7 plots) (item 4, .PDF, 6.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349220&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=GPS%20Plots%20on%20a%20Map%20(7%20plots)-Master.PDF
- Garmin GPS Data Download (40 sec) (item 5, .PDF, 583 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349221&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Garmin%20GPS%20Data%20Download%20(40%20sec)-Master.PDF

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.

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