- Date
- December 6, 2023, 14:26 local (21:26 UTC)
- Place
- Alamosa, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7790YPiper PA-30
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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, Denver FSDO
- FAA report
- 20231206020279A
- Case key
- 193486
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 with an excessive touchdown speed that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot of the personal flight stated that he was the flying pilot and was seated in the right pilot seat with a passenger rated pilot seated in the left pilot seat. The pilot stated during landing that perhaps the airplane bounced. The airplane was right of the runway centerline and not pointed down the runway. The pilot stated that he corrected to the left and the airplane skidded off the runway and into a dirt area. The airplane’s left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the left wing. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data showed that the airplane crossed the runway approach end with a ground speed of approximately 113 kts during calm wind conditions. The airplane’s ground speed was approximately 70 kts about 4,000 ft down the runway when it began to veer off the runway. The Piper Aircraft PA-30 Owner’s Handbook states that the final approach speed for the airplane is 100 mph (86.9 kts). The bounce during landing was consistent with an excessive touchdown speed after a final approach flown at a speed higher than that specified for the airplane. The pilot stated that was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal airplane operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7790Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-146
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 3,789
- Engines
- Lycoming IO-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IO-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Zulu Holdings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2023
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- ALS · San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field, runway 2, 8,521 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 17, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 16,100 total · 250 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- ALS
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 8, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 109 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.