Piper PA-46-350P N46WD

Summary

On 18 January 2004 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-46-350P registered N46WD, operated by John Gagliano, was involved in an accident near Marine City, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 January 2004 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Marine City, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Marine City (76G)

Coordinates

42.7208, -82.5958

Aircraft

Piper PA-46-350P

Registration

N46WD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John Gagliano

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marine City → Marine City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI04LA059

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Factors associated with the accident were the icy snow covered runway, the tailwind conditions, the snowbank, and the ditch which the airplane contacted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted a snow bank while landing on runway 04 (3,100 feet by 60 feet, snow and ice covered asphalt). The pilot stated that the airplane was aligned with the runway centerline and upon touchdown the airplane began veering to the left. He attempted to correct the left swerve with the use of right rudder. The airplane continued veering to the left until it impacted a four-foot high snow bank alongside the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The airport manager reported that the runway had a 1/16 inch layer of ice covered by a 1/2 inch of dry snow at the time of the accident. The manager also reported the tire tracks on the runway showed the airplane traveled straight on the runway for about 200 feet prior to a sweeping left curve. The pilot stated that prior to takeoff, the left main wheel crossed an area of snow ridges standing several inches high. The pilot stated that he did not apply full brake pressure prior to the takeoff. A post accident examination did not find any discrepancies with either brake caliber, and detected no water or foreign objects in the brake lines. The inspection revealed that the left brake functioned as designed. The reported winds, 12 miles from the accient site, were from 290 degrees at 13 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.