Piper PA-46-310P N33MF

Summary

On 29 December 2007 at about 17:05 local time, a Piper PA-46-310P registered N33MF, operated by Max A. Hale, was involved in an accident near Gunnison, Colorado, United States. 5 people were 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

29 December 2007 at 17:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Gunnison, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.5339, -106.9331

Aircraft

Piper PA-46-310P

Registration

N33MF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Max A. Hale

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gunnison → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN08CA045

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff resulting in the airplane hitting a snowbank and subsequently, the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was taking off. As the pilot began his takeoff roll, he noticed the airplane sliding just a little. As he continued to accelerate, he got the airplane straight and proceeded down the center of the runway. The pilot said that at about 75 knots, he rotated. He said he was watching a snow plow that was farther down the runway and off to the side. He'd just gotten into the air, approximately 5 feet above the runway, when the airplane drifted left and the left main landing gear caught a snow bank. The airplane came down, impacting the ground off the side of the runway and coming to rest in the snow. The pilot and the four passengers on board were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot said he felt he did not put in enough right rudder to counter the torque of the propeller after he left the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.