Piper PA-23-250 N11EG

Summary

On 25 March 2005 at about 17:20 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N11EG was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, 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

25 March 2005 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

West Palm Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Palm Beach International (KPBI)

Coordinates

26.6831, -80.0956

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N11EG

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Treasure Cay → West Palm Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA05CA082

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to maintain proper alignment with the runway, his failure to perform a go around after recognizing the aircraft was not properly aligned for landing, and his intentionally landing on a taxiway which resulted in a landing overrun and subsequent nose landing gear collapse following on ground collision with a ditch.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that the flight proceeded to the destination airport and was cleared to land on runway 9R. A strong crosswind "caused me to come in slightly higher and faster-I decided to do a go around and did so with no problem...." The tower controller advised him to enter a downwind for runway 9R again, but never gave wind speed or direction. He reentered the traffic pattern for runway 9R, turned onto final approach, where a "tremendous" crosswind was blowing then stopped abruptly allowing the plane to fly south of the runway. He made the decision to land rather than try to correct for the drift because the airspeed was too slow. The airplane landed further on the taxiway then he wanted, and he realized there was insufficient taxiway remaining to stop the airplane. He again made the decision to remain on the ground and with obstructions ahead, veered the aircraft to the left. While on the ground, the airplane encountered a 5 foot drop-off which caused the nose gear to collapse and subsequent propeller contact. The airplane slid approximately 10 to 15 feet and came to rest upright. He further stated there was no mechanical malfunction or failure. National Transportation Safety Board review of a voice tape from the Palm Beach International Airport air traffic control tower revealed the pilot was provided the wind direction and velocity (160 degrees at 10 knots) when the flight was cleared to land for the first approach. Prior to the second approach, the controller advised the pilot that the wind was from 170 degrees at 11 knots. According to the FAA inspector who examined the accident site, the airplane landed on a closed taxiway on the centerline, traveled off the taxiway onto grass, across another taxiway, and down a small depression where the nose landing gear dug-in causing it to collapse.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.