# NTSB GAA19CA559: Piper PA60, N700NJ, Sedona, AZ, September 20, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 20, 2019, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place: Sedona, AZ
- Coordinates: 34.848609, -111.78833 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8486&lon=-111.7883&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 17, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100305
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA559
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100305/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100305
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA559

## Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/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 AEROSTAR 601P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)
- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7106012), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, while on approach to land, he felt that the airplane was a little slow and below the glidepath. He corrected by adding power and reestablishing on the visual approach slope indicator glidepath and continued the landing. However, when the airplane reached the approach end of the runway, it aerodynamically stalled. He lowered the nose, and the airplane landed about 15 ft short of the runway threshold runway. The airplane bounced onto the runway, veered right, and exited the runway onto the adjacent field, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The pilot of the retractable-landing gear, multi-engine airplane reported that, while on approach to land, he felt the airplane was a little slow and below glide path. He corrected by adding power, reestablishing on the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) glide path and continued the landing. However, when the airplane reached the approach end of the runway, the airplane aerodynamically stalled. He lowered the nose and the airplane landed about 15 ft before the threshold of the runway. The airplane bounced onto the runway, veered right, exited the runway onto the adjacent field, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. 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 180° at 15 knots and gusting to 24 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 210 at 15 to 25 knots, gusting 15 to 25 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 21.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N700NJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N700NJ-2020-09-22), registration cancelled 2020-09-22, S/N 61P06187963279, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA60 (601P)
- Registry model: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-aerostar-601p) (registry code 7106012) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 61P06187963279
- Year built: 1979
- Airframe hours: 4981.9
- Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-U2A 350 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming TIO-540-U2A 350 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 2, 2019
- Departed: WVI, Watsonville, CA
- Destination: SEZ, Sedona, AZ
- Airport: SEZ, Sedona, runway 21, 5,132 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 14, 2019; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 15 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: KSEZ

## 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 20190920015709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190920015709A), Sep 20, 2019: Piper AEROSTAR 601P, Sedona, AZ, Substantial damage. During short final to ksez runway 21, the aircraft impacted the blast pad, short of runway, driving the landing gear up through the top of the wing. The…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100305. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 725 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478219&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Record of Phone Conversation (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478220&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Phone%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Accident Photos (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 238 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478221&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos-Master.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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