GAA20CA085

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA60 · Salt Lake City, UT · November 9, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 8, 2019, 18:20 local (Nov 9, 2019, 01:20 UTC)
Place
Salt Lake City, UT
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N914MBPiper PA60
Defining event
Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed · report June 16, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20191108020899A
Case key
100596

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to follow the taxiway centerline guide and his distraction due to adjusting the radio, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from a taxiway light after landing and while taxiing to a ramp.

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.

Object/animal/substance: runway/taxi/approach lightEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationPiper PA-60-700P: 1 caseAll aircraft: 106 casesProbable cause
Attention/monitoring: attentionPersonnel issues › Psychological · PilotPiper PA-60-700P: 1 caseAll aircraft: 226 casesProbable cause
Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotPiper PA-60-700P: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause

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 the night landing, he landed about 10 knots faster than normal and that, while exiting the runway, he did not follow the taxi centerline guide but instead taxied right of the centerline so that he could reach the taxiway as soon as possible. He was momentarily distracted while adjusting the radio as he was attempting to leave the runway. After completing the right turn, he recaptured the taxiway centerline and parked the airplane. During his preflight inspection the next morning, he found damage to the pressurized cabin and the right propeller. Upon further examination, the pilot noted that the right propeller had struck a taxiway light, which had dislodged the light and broken off the blade tip, and that the propeller blade tip had struck the cabin. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the cabin. 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 reported that, during the night time landing, he landed about 10 knots faster than routine and while exiting the runway, he did not follow the taxi centerline guide but instead taxied right of centerline and was momentarily distracted in the cockpit while he manipulated the radio. After completing the right turn, he recaptured taxiway centerline and parked the airplane. The next morning, during his preflight inspection, he found damage to the pressurized cabin and the right-side propeller. Upon further examination, the pilot reported that the right-side propeller struck a taxiway light; subsequently, the dislodged taxiway light and propeller blade tip struck the cabin. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the pressurized cabin. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N914MB
Reported as
Piper PA60 (700P)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
60-8423008
Built
1984
Engines
350 horsepower, reciprocating350 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Medical Management Inc
Registered owner
Medical Management Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
AFO · Afton, WY
Destination
SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
Airport
SLC · Salt Lake City Intl, runway 35, 9,596 × 150 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

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
70
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 10, 2018
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
4,694 total · 390 in this make and model · 4,676 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
270° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
54 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter
30.36 inHg
Observed at
KSLC, 1 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 5, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.0 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.