# NTSB CEN24LA058: Piper PA46-500TP, N90ZZ, Ann Arbor, MI, December 10, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 10, 2023, 16:11 local (21:11 UTC)
- Place: Ann Arbor, MI
- Coordinates: 42.226176, -83.738966
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2262&lon=-83.7390&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-IFR final approach: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 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): 193503
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA058
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193503/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193503
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA058

## Probable cause

The airplane’s encounter with unexpected wind shear during final approach, which resulted in a hard landing short of the runway.

## Findings

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

- [Wind: windshear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA46-500TP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md?model=7104622), [All aircraft, 90 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA46-500TP, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=7104622), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach-IFR final approach: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA46-500TP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=7104622), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was flying the RNAV (GPS) approach to runway 24 and experienced turbulence about 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), which was about 700 ft above ground level (agl). He continued the approach with an airspeed between 95 and 100 kts. He stated that about 50 ft agl and short of the runway, the airplane encountered wind shear that violently forced the airplane to the ground. The airplane impacted the ground in a wings level attitude and continued onto the runway. The left main landing gear separated, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, then came to rest in the grass facing 180° from the direction of travel. Postaccident photos of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated to the responding fire department that there was a 30 kt crosswind on final approach. The recorded wind data around the time of the accident showed the wind was from 250° to 260° and 7 to 11 kts.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N90ZZ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90ZZ), registered now, S/N 4697223, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46-500TP
- Registry model: [Piper PA46-500TP](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa46-500tp) (registry code 7104622) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 4697223
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 2475.5
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Cahoots Air LLC
- Registered owner: Cahoots Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 19, 2023
- Departed: OSU, Columbus, OH
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ARB, Ann Arbor Muni, runway 06/24, 3,505 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,304 total, 219 in this make and model, 1,155 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: KARB
- METAR: SPECI KARB 102133Z 25007KT 7SM SCT010 BKN014 OVC025 02/01 A2992 RMK AO2 RAB10E19 P0000 T00220006

## 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 20231210018109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231210018109A), Dec 10, 2023: Piper PA46-500TP, Ann Arbor, MI, Substantial damage. Aircraft was on short final on the RNAV 24 into karb. The aircraft had experienced trace to light rime in IMC while on approach. Aircraft stalled on short…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 8, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193503. 11.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 7.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16594189&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Historical metars (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 214 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16595366&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=METARs-Rel.pdf
- Air traffic control communications summary (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16595302&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pages%20from%20FAA%20ATC%20Accident%20Package%20N90ZZ%2012-10-2023-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 4, PDF, 6 pages, 5 photos, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16595540&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.