LAX07LA225

After landing just beyond the runway threshold, the airplane yawed left and departed the runway, colliding with a berm. The airplane continued over the berm and came to rest just beyond, on the rising wall of a ditch. Post accident investigation revealed no discrepancies in the nose wheel steering system or braking system. The airplane came to rest approximately 3,200 feet from the pilot's reported touchdown point. A typical ground roll under the reported conditions was calculated to be approximately 2,350 feet. The main landing gear and nose gear tires exhibited flat spots and striations. Investigators inspected the nose gear of an exemplar Piper PA-34 airplane as it cycled in a retraction and extension sequence. The nose gear stayed centered throughout its travel and did not cant during the sequence until it was in the vicinity of the wheel well.

History of flight

On July 22, 2007, about 1645 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-34-220T, N275JM, collided with a berm after veering off the runway at Battle Mountain Airport, Battle Mountain, Nevada. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country business flight departed French Valley Airport, Murrieta/Temecula, California, about 1320, with a planned destination of Battle Mountain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed.

The pilot submitted a written report. He stated that he had just canceled an IFR flight plan and was in the traffic pattern for a landing on runway 30. He landed the airplane just beyond the runway threshold, touching down just below 90 knots. He reported touching down first on the main landing gear with the nose gear touching after he had allowed the ground speed to dissipate. Approximately 5-7 seconds into the landing roll the plane felt 'wobbly' and thereafter performed an uncommanded left turn. The pilot attempted to compensate with braking to bring the airplane to the right but was unsuccessful. The airplane continued to yaw left, departed the left side of the runway, and collided with a berm. The airplane continued over the berm and came to rest just beyond the rising wall of a ditch.

The pilot reported that on a previous occasion the left brake had locked, causing the airplane to depart the runway and receive a flat tire. He reported that this had occurred at 3-4 knots.

Meteorological conditions

The closest official weather observation station was Winnemucca Municipal Airport (WMC), Winnemucca, Nevada, which was 46 nautical miles west of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 4,308 feet msl. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for WMC was issued at 1656. It stated: winds from 260 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 miles; skies clear; temperature 37 degrees Celsius; dew point -2 degrees Celsius; altimeter 3003 inches of mercury.

Wreckage and impact information

Runway 30 is 7,300 feet long and 100 feet wide. Photographs of the runway surface show three unequally spaced skid marks, beginning approximately 1,600 feet from the runway threshold. The skid marks start midway between the runway centerline and left edge. The markings continue beyond the left runway edge and through gravel to the site of the main wreckage approximately 3,200 feet from the threshold.

Recovery personnel took photographs of the wreckage after the accident. Both propellers were separated by a fracture in the crankshaft, aft of the propeller flange, and lay partially submerged in the rising ditch wall, forward of the engines. The main landing gear folded rearward at the wing mounting points with both wheels lying beneath the wing flaps. The nose gear folded rearward at its forward mounting point and lay beneath the forward cabin area.

Test and research

The pilot reported the airplane weight at the time of the accident to be 4,177 pounds. According to the flight manual, under the reported weather conditions, with the airplane configured with 40 degrees of flaps, a touchdown speed of 61 knots, and with maximum braking, the landing roll distance would have been approximately 2,325 feet.

Safety Board investigators inspected the wreckage at a repair facility. No discrepancies were noted in the nosewheel steering system or braking system. The main landing gear and nose gear tires exhibited flat spots and striations. Investigators inspected the nose gear of an exemplar Piper PA-34 airplane. Inspectors raised the nose gear and observed that it stayed centered throughout its travel and did not cant during the sequence until it was in the vicinity of the wheel well.