- Date
- March 3, 1982, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Crownpoint, NM
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N55550Piper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820303026679A
- Case key
- 70376
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Loss of control - on ground/water
Weather condition - high windFactor
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - improperCause
Proper alignment - not maintainedCause
Terrain condition - softFactor
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankmentFactor
Analysis
The pilot was landing to the south with a 25 knot wind from the southwest. While on a short final approach, the aircraft drifted to the left of the runway centerline. On touchdown, the left wheel entered soft dirt causing the plane to drift further left. The aircraft then collided with a dirt berm, collapsing the nose gear and buckling the engine firewall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55550
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-730116
- Airframe hours
- 3,650
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Window Rock Airways
- Registered owner
- Window Rock Airways
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Window Rock, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Crownpoint Municipal, runway 18, 6,000 × 50 ft, dirt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,360 total · 217 in this make and model · 1,197 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 25 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.