# NTSB ERA22LA077: Piper PA-32-301, N81991, Orlando, FL, November 23, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 23, 2021, 18:40 UTC
- Place: Orlando, FL
- Coordinates: 28.7771, -81.23491 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7771&lon=-81.2349&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA Orlando FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104319
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA077
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104319/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104319
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA077

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate compensation for winds during the landing roll.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot explained that he was landing with a gusting 70° left crosswind and felt the windspeed and gust spread were within his capabilities. During rollout, the wind pushed the tail to the airplane’s right, the nose to the left, and the pilot was “hesitant to give the airplane more right rudder” to maintain directional control before it departed the left side of the runway. Following the runway excursion, the nose landing gear dug into the turf surface, bent the nose gear aft, and bent the engine mount, which substantially damaged the airplane. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N81991](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N81991), registered now, S/N 32-8006044, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-301
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (registry code 7103207) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-8006044
- Year built: 1980
- Airframe hours: 2015
- Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 5, 2021, 30 hours before
- Departed: SUA, Stuart, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: SFB, Sanford, runway 9R, 5,839 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 263.3 total, 117.3 in this make and model, 24.1 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KSFB, 1 nm away
- METAR: KSFB 231753Z 02016G23KT 10SM FEW041 18/06 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP192 T01780061 10183 20117 58009

## 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 20211123020559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211123020559A), Nov 23, 2021: Piper PA-32-301, Sanford, FL, Substantial damage. While landing on runway 9R with a crosswind of 12 knots gusting to 21 pilot touched down and removed all flaps. While rolling on the ground the wind gusted and…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104319. 6.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 memo for record (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13788629&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20NTSB%20Form%206120-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13790461&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA inspector's statement pilot information and summary (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13789930&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Information%20Summary%20and%20Statement%20Provided%20to%20FAA_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records annual inspection (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 5.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13790644&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Annual%20Inspection_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 402 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13789721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf

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.

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