- Date
- March 20, 1993, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Demotte, IN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8655NPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930320005839A
- Case key
- 15688
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 poor planned approach to the runway.
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 pilot stated he circled the airfield to check the wind, then set up a traffic pattern for runway 36. The pilot made a go around after the first approach to the runway, then landed on the second attempt. The airplane skidded off the end of the runway into a ditch. The pilot stated he applied heavy braking, but the '...surface was wet and slushy...the wheels could not get a hold on the ground.' The pilot reported the accident might have been prevented if he'd used a slower airspeed during the approach to landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8655N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7240005
- Airframe hours
- 2,501
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mentone Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Mentone Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 14, 1992 · 233 hours before
- Departed
- RCR · Rochester, IN
- Airport
- 3CO · Demotte, runway 36, 2,600 × ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 530 total · 10 in this make and model · 452 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.