- Date
- March 23, 2003, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Owatonna, MN
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N92505Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030323003999A
- Case key
- 56703
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 pilots loss of directional control on landing and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the crosswind, the airport lights, and the ditch.
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.
Analysis
The airplane veered off the left side of runway 12 and impacted terrain. The pilot reported the wings were level at the time of touchdown. After the airplane veered off the runway the pilot pitched the nose up and increased power to avoid colliding with airport lights and a ditch. The winds were reported from 190 degrees at 14 knots at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 23, 2003, at 0915 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N92505, operated by Thunder Aviation Inc. as a rental airplane, was substantially damaged during landing after it veered off runway 12 (5,500 by 100 feet, concrete) at Owatonna Degner Regional Airport, Owatonna, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The private pilot and three passengers were uninjured. The flight departed from Flying Cloud Airport, Flying Cloud, Minnesota, at 0840.
The pilot reported he was using a "slip" to counter the crosswind and keep the aircraft on the centerline of the runway while on approach. The pilot noted the airplane was wings level prior to touchdown. The pilot indicated the airplane turned to the left after touchdown and veered off the runway. He then added power and lifted the nose to avoid striking runway lights and a ditch. The pilot stated the stall warning horn sounded and the airplane impacted a field. The pilot indicated he powered down the aircraft and assisted passengers to safety.
The weather reporting facility located at the accident site reported the winds at 0917 from 190 degrees at 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92505
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2890211
- Airframe hours
- 3,795
- Engine
- Lycoming O-369-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 21, 2003 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- FCM · Flying Cloud, MN
- Destination
- OWA · Owatonna, MN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- OWA · Owatonna Degner Regional, runway 12, 5,500 × 100 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 198 total · 151 in this make and model · 166 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- OWA
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 N92505 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.