IAD96LA089

According to the pilot, when the airplane was about 35 feet above the ground during the approach to land at the destination airport, it yawed rapidly to the left. The pilot was unable to regain directional control or perform a go-around. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down on the runway '...in a right skid, causing [eventual landing] gear failure.' The police report indicated that there was an 11 mph left quartering headwind for the active runway at the time of the accident.

On June 3, 1996, at approximately 0851 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA60-601P, N86AT, operated as an air taxi flight, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear collapsed during the landing at Willard Airport, in Willard, Ohio. The Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rated pilot and the four passengers reported no injuries. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed; however, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot canceled the IFR flight plan at 0845 eastern daylight time. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 135, and originated from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at 0711 eastern daylight time, with an intended destination of Willard, Ohio.

The pilot stated that after he canceled the IFR flight plan, he tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain airport advisory information from Willard traffic and/or ground personnel. The pilot circled the airport to observe wind direction, determined that runway 28 was the active runway, and entered the traffic pattern to land on that runway. The pilot reported that as the airplane was at an altitude of about 35 feet, over the paved surface leading to the displaced threshold, the airplane yawed rapidly to the left, "...causing it to leave the runway centerline... ." The pilot applied "...heavy pressure..." to the right rudder pedal in an attempt to regain directional control, but it "...had no effect."

The pilot stated that as the airplane slowed down it descended into a skid, he "...reached to retract the flaps to 20 degrees, but elected to fully retract the flaps instead to force the airplane onto the ground... ." The pilot reported that he did not attempt a go-around because he did not feel that the airplane was responding predictably. The pilot indicated that the airplane contacted the runway, right main landing gear first in a right skid, and the landing gear collapsed.

Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of preimpact airframe or engine anomaly, and the pilot's written statement indicated that there was no mechanical malfunction. The pilot stated that both engines appeared to be operating normally, and he did not believe that the right front seat passenger contacted the rudder pedals during the accident sequence. The right front seat passenger indicated that he kept his feet flat on the floor during the flight. According to the Ohio State Police accident report, the winds at the time of the accident were out of the west-southwest at 11 miles per hour.