Piper PA-32R-301 N35718

Summary

On 12 January 2021 at about 21:58 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301 registered N35718 was involved in an accident near Sparta, Michigan, United States. 2 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

12 January 2021 at 21:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Sparta, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Paul C Miller (8D4)

Coordinates

43.1300, -85.6724

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301

Registration

N35718

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington Court House → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN21LA112

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glideslope during final approach, which resulted in contact with a snowbank at the approach end of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane touched down short of the runway and encountered a snowbank adjacent to the approach threshold. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded along the runway before coming to rest. The pilot reported that he “misjudged the end of the runway” during landing after executing a GPS approach. There were no malfunctions associated with the airplane before the accident. He noted that maintaining the glideslope guidance provided by the precision approach path indicator would have prevented the accident. Additionally, canceling his instrument flight plan while on the approach “proved distracting.” The snowbank was less than 3-ft high and would not have been an issue had the pilot maintained the proper approach glideslope. Although the airframe accumulated about 1/2 inch of ice during the descent and approach, there is no evidence that it contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.