# NTSB CEN22LA218: Piper PA-32-300, N2899N, Princeton, MN, May 27, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 27, 2022, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Princeton, MN - Coordinates: 45.560397, -93.608442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5604&lon=-93.6084&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 105159 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105159/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105159 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA218 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain proper approach glide path, which resulted in a collision with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [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: [Piper PA-32-300, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/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: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot and flight instructor were conducting a flight review. During the attempted short-field landing, the pilot slowed the airplane to 70 kts, about 10 kts slower than usual, and planned to make a “shallower than normal final approach.” While on short final, the airplane descended too low, and the airplane collided with a small tree. The airplane subsequently veered left, landed short of the runway, and impacted several taxiway lights, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that he let the airplane get too low and slow on final approach. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2899N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2899N), registered now, S/N 32-7940193 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7940193 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 7468.74 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tailwinds Flying Club - Registered owner: Tailwinds Flying Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 19, 2022, 10.6 hours before - Departed: MIC, Minneapolis, MN - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: PNM, Princeton Municipal Airport, runway 16, 3,900 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 23, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,132 total, 463 in this make and model, 835 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 57; injuries: none; remote, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 13, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.54 inHg - Observed at: KPNM ## 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 20220527005359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220527005359A), May 27, 2022: Piper PA-32-300, Princeton, MN, Substantial damage. PIC and CFI were flying for the purposes of completing a flight activity in the wings program, A070405-07 worksheet asel ? Takeoffs, landings, and go arounds.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105159. 7.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 13 pages, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14121874&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot%20final_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14121516&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.