- Date
- July 4, 2005, 11:36 local (16:36 UTC)
- Place
- Minneapolis, MN
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- CGGJBPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Minneapolis, MN FSDO
- Case key
- 61886
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors associated with the accident were the crosswind and the taxiway sign.
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 collided with a taxiway sign while landing on runway 28L. The pilot stated that as he approached the airport, he received the automated terminal information service (ATIS) and the winds were reported as being from 250 degrees at 5 knots. He stated the approach was normal, but as he approached the threshold he had difficulty correcting for the crosswind and the airplane drifted to the right edge of the runway. The pilot stated the airplane touched down and continued to the right. He stated the airplane "ballooned slightly" and the nose gear impacted a taxiway sign. The pilot stated the nose gear collapsed and they came to rest in the grass between runways 28L and 28R. The wind conditions reported at 1153 were from 240 degrees at 10 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 2005, at 1136 central daylight time, a Canadian registered Piper PA-32-300, C-GGJB, collided with a taxiway sign while landing on runway 28L (3,909 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at the Flying Cloud Airport (FCM), Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pilot and the three passengers on board were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from FCM at 1036.
The pilot stated that as he approached FCM for landing, he received the automated terminal informaiton service (ATIS) and the winds were reported as being from 250 degrees at 5 knots. He stated the approach was normal, but as he approached the threshold he had difficulty correcting for the crosswind and the airplane drifted to the right edge of the runway. The pilot stated the airplane touched down and continued to the right. He stated the airplane "ballooned slightly" and the nose gear impacted a taxiway sign. The pilot stated the nose gear collapsed and they came to rest in the grass between runways 28L and 28R.
The wind conditions reported at FCM at 1153 were from 240 degrees at 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGGJB
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7640006
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert J. McMane
- Registered owner
- Robert J. McMane
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FCM · Minneapolis, MN
- Destination
- FCM · Minneapolis, MN
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 39 in this make and model · 172 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- FCM