CHI02LA011

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-34-200T · Ann Arbor, MI · October 17, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 17, 2001, 13:50 local (17:50 UTC)
Place
Ann Arbor, MI
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N29461Piper PA-34-200T
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 4, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA-Detroit, Michigan-FSDO
FAA report
20011017033019A
Case key
53660

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilots failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Factors were the gusty crosswind and the terrain drop-off.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - gustsFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding
Terrain condition - drop-off/descending embankmentFactor

Analysis

The airplane ran off of the side of the runway during landing. In a written report, the pilot said that he encountered a crosswind while landing. He said that the, "...plane was blown off runway to [the] south of [runway 24]. Plane continued off runway [and] went over a 1-2 foot drop off at site of crossing sod runway." The weather reporting station located at the accident airport recorded the wind at 1353 edt as 330 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 23 knots. No mechanical anomalies were found with respect to the airplane that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. No mechanical malfunction was reported by the pilot.

Factual narrative

On October 17, 2001, at 1350 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-34-200T, N29461, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 24 (3,500 feet by 75 feet, concrete), at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, Ann Arbor, Michigan. The airplane ran off of the south side of the runway during the landing. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, at 1200 edt.

In a written report, the pilot said that he encountered a crosswind while landing. He said that the, "...plane was blown off runway to [the] south of [runway 24]. Plane continued off runway [and] went over a 1-2 foot drop off at site of crossing sod runway."

The weather reporting station located at the accident airport recorded the wind at 1353 edt as 330 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 23 knots.

No mechanical anomalies were found with respect to the airplane that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. No mechanical malfunction was reported by the pilot.

Aircraft

Registration
N29461
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200T
Category
Airplane
Serial number
34-7970254
Airframe hours
3,933
Engines
Continental TSIO-360-KB6B, 220 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental TSIO-360-KB6B, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Golf Romeo LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 18, 2001 · 91 hours before
Departed
MDW · Chicago, IL
Destination
ARB · Ann Arbor, MI
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
ARB · Ann Arbor Muni, runway 24, 3,500 × 75 ft, concrete

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
54
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
March 30, 2001
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,028 total · 435 in this make and model · 947 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
330° at 15 knots, gusting 23
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
46 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.17 inHg
Observed at
ARB

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N29461 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.