Summary
On August 14, 2011, a Piper PA-28-236 (N4341M) was involved in an accident near Front Royal, VA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
According to the pilot, he was overflying the airport when he had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. He circled north of the airport and performed a straight-in, stabilized approach to the runway with 25 degrees of flaps. The pilot reduced the power as he crossed the runway threshold and made a normal landing. According to a witness, the airplane landed approximately halfway down the runway and was traveling very fast. The witness stated that the brakes were applied, the airplane swerved, and then it departed the right side of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment and came to rest in a ditch resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA452. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4341M.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was overflying the airport when he had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. He circled north of the airport and performed a straight-in, stabilized approach to the runway with 25 degrees of flaps. The pilot reduced the power as he crossed the runway threshold and made a normal landing. According to a witness, the airplane landed approximately halfway down the runway and was traveling very fast. The witness stated that the brakes were applied, the airplane swerved, and then it departed the right side of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment and came to rest in a ditch resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA452