- Date
- January 17, 2008, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Taos, NM
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N819CPiper PA-32-301XTC
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080117009739A
- Case key
- 67399
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 excessive airspeed during the approach and loss of control during the landing. Contributing factors were the mountain turbulence and the snowbank.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the approach, the airplane encountered "extreme mountain turbulence" and the pilot "kept his speed up." Shortly after touchdown, the airplane "windmilled" to the left. The pilot then aborted the landing and during initial climb, the airplane's main landing impacted a snow bank located at the end of the runway. The main landing gear separated from the airplane, and the airplane remained airborne. The pilot then flew around the local area for a unspecified period of time and landed gear-up at a nearby airport. During the gear-up landing, the airplane departed the runway surface and impacted the snow-covered terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed the right aileron was bent and partially separated.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he departed McKinney (TKI), Texas, on a visual flight rules flight to Angel Fire (AXX), New Mexico. During the approach to AXX, the airplane encountered "extreme mountain turbulence" and the pilot "kept his speed up." Shortly after touchdown at AXX, the airplane "windmilled" to the left. The pilot then aborted the landing and during initial climb, the airplane's main landing impacted a snow bank located at the end of the runway. The main landing gear separated from the airplane, and the airplane remained airborne. The pilot then flew around the local area for an unspecified period of time and landed gear-up at Taos, New Mexico. During the gear-up landing at Taos, the airplane departed the runway surface and impacted the snow covered terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed the right aileron was bent and partially separated. The pilot and three passengers were not injured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N819C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301XTC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3255049
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mareechi.com LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TKI · Mc Kinney, TX
- Destination
- AXX · Angel Fire, NM
- Airport
- SKX · Taos Muni, runway 22
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 250 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.