N171ST – PIPER PA-30 – 2011-04-12 NTSB Accident Report

On April 12, 2011, a Piper PA-30 (N171ST) was involved in an incident near Austin, TX. All 3 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 loss of directional control during landing which resulted in a runway excursion.

Following a cross-country flight, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane while landing, exited the side of the runway, and impacting several signs. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest in an upright; nose down position. The airplane's right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage during the accident. Eight minutes after the accident, the automated weather observing system (AWOS) at the accident airport reported, winds variable at 5 knots. The pilot reported that the winds were variable, but before touchdown a gust of wind impacted the airplane, resulting in a misaligned landing. The pilot further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN11CA288. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N171ST.