Piper PA-28-201T N2890Z

Summary

On 6 June 2014 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-201T registered N2890Z, operated by Turbo D LLC, was involved in an accident near Defuniak Springs, Florida, 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

6 June 2014 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Defuniak Springs, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Defuniak Springs (54J)

Coordinates

30.7253, -86.1522

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-201T

Registration

N2890Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Turbo D LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Destin → Defuniak Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA284

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control in gusty wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was flying the airplane to a nearby airport for a maintenance inspection. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the pilot received current wind information from a pilot on the ground. He then configured the airplane to land and flew a "normal approach." During landing, the main landing gear touched down just past the displaced threshold while the airplane was travelling at 77 knots. The airplane "bounced" and, while in the air, the pilot held the airplane at a "normal landing attitude." The airplane was then "hit by a gust of wind" from the left and the airplane veered to the left, departed the runway, and continued over grass. The nose landing gear impacted a mound of dirt and collapsed. The airplane traveled a few hundred feet past the mound and eventually came to rest in a nose down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall and engine mounts. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that could have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.