Summary
On August 26, 2011, a Piper PA-44-180 (N3020M) was involved in an incident near Gaithersburg, MD. All 2 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 decision to continue taxiing with restricted windshield visibility.
The pilot reported that he was taxiing to the active runway for takeoff, when the windshield started to fog and he missed the left turn to the runway. The airplane exited the taxiway onto a grassy area, and the pilot then turned left; however, the airplane began to slide down a hill. The airplane's right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted the ground, which resulted in damage to the right wing spar. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported 1,400 hours of total flight experience, which included 96 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA486. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3020M.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's decision to continue taxiing with restricted windshield visibility.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was taxiing to the active runway for takeoff, when the windshield started to fog and he missed the left turn to the runway. The airplane exited the taxiway onto a grassy area, and the pilot then turned left; however, the airplane began to slide down a hill. The airplane's right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted the ground, which resulted in damage to the right wing spar. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported 1,400 hours of total flight experience, which included 96 hours in the same make and model as the accident 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# ERA11CA486