- Date
- March 31, 2019, 11:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Swainsboro, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N75242Piper PA32
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 20, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190331002259A
- Case key
- 99209
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 maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and the landing gear collapsing.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, the onboard weather radar showed unfavorable weather ahead, and he diverted to a nearby airport for a precautionary landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered left and slid off the runway onto an adjacent field, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 230° at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, his onboard weather radar showed unfavorable weather ahead, and he diverted to a nearby airport for a precautionary landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered left, slid off the runway onto the adjacent field, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 230° at 9 knots, gusting 18 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75242
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7600016
- Built
- 1976
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- M&M Air Llc
- Registered owner
- M&M Air Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 22, 2018
- Departed
- 1GA0 · Shellman Bluff, GA
- Destination
- WDR · Winder, GA
- Airport
- SBO · East Georgia Regional, runway 32, 6,021 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 248 total · 166 in this make and model · 202 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KSBO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 871 KB 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.