On May 10, 1985, a Piper PA-44-180 (registration N2099P) was involved in an aviation accident near Troy, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to ensure proper navigation to the intended destination, which resulted in landing on the wrong runway at an adjacent airport. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot intended to land on runway 27 at Troy-Oakland but inadvertently landed at Big Beaver Airport, resulting in a runway overrun and impact with a dirt bank.
What happened
The pilot stated that his intended destination was the Troy-Oakland Airport, where he planned to land on runway 27. However, he inadvertently landed on runway 27 at the Big Beaver Airport, which was approximately three miles away from his intended destination. The pilot expected to have 3800 feet of runway available but found that the runway at Big Beaver was only 2700 feet long. During the night landing, the aircraft continued off the end of the runway and subsequently hit a dirt bank.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilot had landed at the wrong airport due to confusion between the two nearby airfields. The shorter runway length at Big Beaver Airport contributed to the overrun.
Findings
The pilot landed on the wrong runway at an adjacent airport.
The runway at the actual landing site was significantly shorter than expected.
Nighttime conditions may have contributed to the navigation error.
The aircraft overran the runway and struck a dirt bank.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure proper navigation to the intended destination, which resulted in landing on the wrong runway at an adjacent airport.