Piper PA-46-500TP N3061J

Summary

On 23 February 2014 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-46-500TP registered N3061J, operated by JB Piper Meridian LLC, was involved in an accident near Alabaster, Alabama, 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

23 February 2014 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Alabaster, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Shelby County Airport (EET)

Coordinates

33.1778, -86.7833

Aircraft

Piper PA-46-500TP

Registration

N3061J

Category

Airplane

Year built

2007

Engines

1

Operator

JB Piper Meridian LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alabaster → Mobile

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Not Reported

NTSB number

ERA14LA149

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s delay in aborting the takeoff following the loss of directional control early in the takeoff roll due to a deflated left main landing gear tire.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while taxiing the airplane onto the runway with the flaps extended for takeoff, he applied power and then began the takeoff roll. While the airplane was at 60 knots and on the runway centerline, he noticed a sudden pulling to the left and "excessive vibration." He applied full right rudder for about 1 to 2 seconds with no effect. Unable to regain directional control, he reduced power, placed the propeller to the "beta" position, and pulled on the control yoke while applying full brakes and right rudder input. Runway marks indicated that the airplane began veering left about 1,000 ft down the runway, continued off the left side of the runway, and then remained in the grass for about 500 ft. The airplane then travelled back onto the runway, began veering left again, and then continued off the left side of the runway into the grass, turned right, travelled back onto the runway again, and then came to rest upright about 2,761 ft from the approach end of the runway. Both main landing gear tires were found deflated, and the tube of the left main tire was found in numerous pieces. Examination of the airplane about 10 days after the accident revealed that the nose landing gear tire was inflated to 55 pounds per square inch (psi); the minimum specification is 70 psi. Given witness statements indicating that they heard takeoff power being applied up to the point of the second runway excursion and the distance between the location of the first point of loss of directional control and the resting position of the airplane (about 1,761 ft), it is likely that the pilot did not abort the takeoff until after the second runway excursion. If the pilot had aborted the takeoff immediately after the first runway excursion, it is likely that the airframe would not have been damaged. The pilot's report of the airplane pulling left and vibrating early in the takeoff roll is consistent with a deflated left main landing gear tire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.