# NTSB SEA97LA220: Piper PA-32-300, N55629, Stuart Island, WA, September 28, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 1997, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Stuart Island, WA - Coordinates: 48.529083, -123.060401 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5291&lon=-123.0604&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42698 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA97LA220 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42698/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA220 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to land on a wet grass runway with a ten knot tailwind. Factors were the wet runway surface and tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wet (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch - landing gear - overload ## Analysis The pilot elected to land on the 2,100-foot long grass runway with a tailwind of about 10 knots. After the aircraft passed the middle of the runway, the pilot realized that the aircraft would not stop in the remaining distance. Knowing that there was a downhill overrun that ended in the water, as the aircraft neared the end of the runway, the pilot elected to turn off the runway onto up-sloping terrain covered by tall grass. While rolling through the tall grass, the aircraft encountered a drainage ditch, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear and one main gear. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 1997, approximately 1045 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N55629, departed the runway during the landing roll at Stuart Island Airport, Stuart Island, Washington. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Toledo Flying Club, Inc., received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Toledo, Washington about 90 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, even though he knew there would be a 10 knot tailwind, and that the grass airstrip would be wet, he elected to land to the west on the 2,100 foot long runway. He said that he made that decision because the strip slopes uphill to the west, and because it was his "...preferred landing direction to the west." On the first approach, he executed a go-around because he was too high. On the second approach, he touched down about one-quarter of the way down the runway, retracted the flaps, and applied heavy braking. By the time the aircraft had traveled about half-way down the runway, the pilot realized that, even with heavy braking, the aircraft would not stop until after it exited the end of the runway. Because at the end of the runway there was a downhill overrun that ends in the water, the pilot elected to turn off the edge of the runway into an area of high grass and a slight uphill slope. After exiting the runway, the aircraft passed over a small drainage ditch in the grassy area, and its nose gear and right main gear collapsed. As the aircraft slid across the terrain, both wings sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, he did not report this event to the Safety Board because he thought the damage was not substantial. Other individuals who looked at the aircraft after the accident determined that the damage was substantial, and reported it to the FAA. The NTSB became aware of the accident on October 13, 1997, and final determination of the extent of the damage was made on November 10, 1997. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N55629](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N55629), registered now, S/N 32-7340128 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7340128 - Airframe hours: 1747 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Toledo Flying Club, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 2, 1997, 98 hours before - Departed: TDO, TOLEDO, WA - Destination: 7WA5 - Airport: 7WA5, Stuart Island Gast, runway 27, 2,100 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 830 total, 55 in this make and model, 780 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 45° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F ## 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 19970928045409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970928045409A), Sep 28, 1997: Piper PA32300, Stuart Island, WA, Substantial damage. (.4) On September 28, 1997, approximately 1045 pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N55629, departed the runway during the landing roll at Stuart Island… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.