On March 16, 1992, a Piper PA-24-180 (registration N6863P) operated by Pete Peters was involved in an aviation accident near Longmont, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare and subsequent touchdown, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway and colliding with a snow bank. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a landing flare that was too high, the aircraft bounced and encountered a gust of wind. Upon the second touchdown, the left main gear left the runway surface, causing the plane to veer left into a snow bank.
What happened
The pilot described the initial landing flare as being excessively high. As the aircraft descended, it drifted toward the left side of the runway. Upon the first touch down, the aircraft bounced off the pavement and simultaneously encountered a slight crosswind or gust of wind.
When the aircraft touched down for a second time, the left main landing gear departed the side of the runway. This loss of lateral containment caused the aircraft to veer sharply to the left, resulting in a collision with a snow bank located adjacent to the runway surface.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare and subsequent touchdown, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway and colliding with a snow bank.
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