Piper PA-32-300 N21072

Summary

On 8 July 2000 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N21072 was involved in an accident near Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 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

8 July 2000 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Fitchburg Municipal (FIT)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N21072

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD00LA060

Nobody was injured.

pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind. A factor was the crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before entering the airport's traffic pattern, the pilot tuned into the airport's ASOS and was informed that the winds were favoring Runway 02. The pilot observed traffic in the pattern utilizing Runway 32, and made a 45 degree entry to the downwind for Runway 32. He flew a normal traffic pattern and set up for a crosswind landing. On the landing roll-out, the airplane drifted to the left of the runway centerline, then veered right, and exited the runway onto the grass. The nose gear then sheered off the airplane, which resulted in damage to the firewall and propeller. Examination of the airplane revealed there were no mechanical malfunctions. The airport's reported winds were from 020 degrees at 12 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.