N36402 – PIPER PA32RT – 2010-07-10 NTSB Accident Report

On July 10, 2010, a Piper PA32RT (N36402) was involved in an incident near Sedona, AZ. All 4 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain runway alignment during approach and subsequent loss of directional control during landing.

The pilot reported that he had flown the approach at a shallow angle causing him to lose sight of the runway lighting system during the landing flare. During the flare the airplane drifted to the left resulting in the left main landing gear touching down in the dirt next to the runway. Subsequently the airplane veered to the left, and struck a runway sign. The pilot reported that he was unaware that he had struck the sign and was able to correct back to the center of the runway. The remainder of landing roll and taxi were uneventful. The damage to the underside of the left wing and the sign was not found until the following day. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA342. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N36402.