- Date
- February 25, 2011, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Princeton, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N444TTAerostar PA-60-601P
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 21, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110225002839A
- Case key
- 78471
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 failure to stop the airplane resulting in a runway overrun.
Findings · 2
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
Before he arrived in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot checked the wind at a nearby airport which was reported to be at 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots. Additionally, the on-board global positioning system (GPS) receiver depicted the wind from 010 degrees at 12 knots. The pilot executed a GPS approach to runway 28; maintaining 120 knots with 20 degrees of flaps extended, and before landing noted the wind sock was not fully extended. He extended full flaps about 1 mile from the runway, and slowed to 100 knots, then crossed the threshold at 80 knots. The airplane touched down about 75 knots on the wet runway, and the pilot gently applied the brakes. He reported that he was unable to press the brakes hard as the airplane started hydroplaning approximately 1,000 feet before the end of the runway. Unable to stop, the airplane rolled past the departure end of the runway, where the nose landing gear traveled into a small depression causing it to twist. The forward pressure bulkhead was later found to be cracked. The pilot reported there was no mechanical failure or malfunction. The airport was equipped with an automated weather observing system (AWOS). A total of 12 observations were recorded for the approximate time of the accident. Review of the 12 observations indicated the wind was from 230 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 18 knots.
Factual narrative
Before approach to the destination airport, the pilot checked the wind at a nearby airport which was reported to be at 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots. Additionally, the on-board global positioning system (GPS) receiver depicted the wind from 010 degrees at 12 knots. He executed a GPS approach to runway 28, maintaining 120 knots with 20 degrees of flaps extended, and before landing noted the wind sock was not fully extended. He extended full flaps about 1 mile from the runway, and slowed to 100 knots, then crossed the threshold at 80 knots. The airplane touched down about 75 knots on the wet runway, and he "gently applied the [brakes] on touchdown. I was unable to do hard [braking]." The airplane started hydroplaning approximately 1,000 feet before the end of the runway. Unable to stop, the airplane rolled past the departure end of the runway, where the nose landing gear traveled into a small depression causing it to twist. The forward pressure bulkhead was later found to be cracked. The pilot reported there was no mechanical failure or malfunction. The airport is equipped with an automated weather observing system (AWOS). A total of 12 observations were recorded for the approximate time of the accident (1130 local, or 1630 UTC). Review of the 12 observations indicated the wind was from 230 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 18 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N444TT
- Reported as
- Aerostar PA-60-601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P-0444-168
- Airframe hours
- 2,992
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540 Series, 290 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bravo Aviation, LLC
- Registered owner
- Bravo Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 2010
- Departed
- PIB · Hattiesburg, MS
- Destination
- 39N · Princeton, NJ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 39N · Princeton Airport, runway 28, 3,499 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 20, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,364 total · 158 in this make and model · 1,292 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.30 inHg
- Observed at
- 39N
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 2, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.