# NTSB CHI06LA061: Piper PA-32-300, N190PH, Worthington, MN, January 5, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 4, 2006, 19:30 local (Jan 5, 2006, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Worthington, MN - Coordinates: 43.654998, -95.57917 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6550&lon=-95.5792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 63100 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63100/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06LA061 ## Probable cause The missed approach not performed by the pilot and the directional control not maintained by the pilot during landing. Contributing factors were the crosswind, wind information not available due to inoperative meteorological equipment, and a Notices to Airman not issued by airport personnel indicating that the meteorological equipment was inoperative. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - wind information - not available, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - meteorological equipment - inoperative (contributing factor) - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - notams - not issued, airport personnel (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane veered off the runway after touchdown following a precision instrument approach and landing on runway 29. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the airport's automated weather observing system (AWOS) reported calm winds, but he felt that this was inaccurate so he checked reports from surrounding AWOSs, which reported winds from the northwest at 8-11 knots. The pilot stated that upon touchdown, the airplane moved "quickly" to the left and departed off the side of the runway and into snow, which folded the nose wheel landing gear. The maximum demonstrated cross wind for the airplane is 17 knots. Inspection of the airport's AWOS following the accident revealed that the AWOS was covered with ice, which inhibited operation of the wind speed and direction sensors. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of a Notices to Airman being issued on the day of the accident pertaining to the airport AWOS. ## Factual narrative On January 4, 2006, at 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N190PH, piloted by a private pilot, impacted terrain during landing when it veered off runway 29 at Worthington Municipal (OTG), Worthington, Minnesota. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating on an instrument rules flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The flight originated from Scott City Municipal, Scott City, Kansas, at 1615 and was en route to OTG. The pilot stated that he departed from Scott City, Kansas, and was returning to OTG. The OTG Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) reported a ceiling of 600 feet above ground level, 10 statute mile visibility, and calm winds. He stated that he "did not feel that this was accurate" so he checked Joe Foss Field (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sheldon Municipal Airport (SHL), Sheldon, Iowa, AWOS reports. The pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions 5-8 miles southwest of the airport and performed an instrument landing system approach to runway 29. He had the runway in sight at an altitude approximately 2,300 feet mean sea level. While on final approach, he "recognized" that there was a "significant crosswind". He applied right aileron and full left rudder but was unable to keep the airplane to the right side of the runway and touched down left of center. The airplane moved "quickly" to the left and departed off the side of the runway and into snow, which folded the nose wheel landing gear. OTG is served by runway 11-29 (5,506 feet by 100 feet, grooved asphalt) and runway 17-35 (4,201 feet by 100 feet, grooved asphalt) with a lighted wind sock located east of approach end of runway 35. OTG was equipped with a Qualimetics model 200 AWOS installed in the early 1990s. Later AWOS models were equipped with error checking correlating wind speed and direction, and may also incorporate a heater. The OTG AWOS recorded wind speed of 0 degrees and direction of 000 for the entire accident day. The Windom Municipal Airport, Windom, Minnesota, AWOS, located about 25.6 NM northeast of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 300 degrees at 6 knots. The Jackson Municipal Airport, Jackson, Minnesota, AWOS, located about 25.7 NM east of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 320 degrees at 7 knots and wind 310 degrees at 11 knots. The SHL AWOS, located about 29 nautical miles south of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 310 degrees at 10 knots and wind 330 at 11 knots, respectively. The FSD AWOS, located about 50.7 nautical miles east of OTG, recorded at 1856 and 1956, wind 320 degrees at 8 knots. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspection of the OTG AWOS following the accident revealed that the AWOS was covered with ice, which inhibited operation of the wind speed and direction sensors. The FAA had no record of any Notices to Airman pertaining to the OTG AWOS on the day of the accident. The maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Piper PA-32-300 is placarded as 17 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N190PH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N190PH), registered now, S/N 32-7740064, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7740064 - Airframe hours: 5461.2 - Engines: Textron Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Prarie Ventures Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2005, 51.6 hours before - Departed: TQK, Scott City, KS - Destination: OTG, Worthington, MN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: OTG, Worthington Municipal, runway 29, 5,506 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; last flight review December 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 201 total, 107 in this make and model, 149 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: OTG ## 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 20060104000869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060104000869A), Jan 4, 2006: Piper PA32300, Worthington, MN, Substantial damage. (-23) Shortly after touchdown on runway 29 at Worthington airport the aircraft veered off to the left side of the runway and the nose gear collapsed. 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.