PA-34 veers off runway during landing rollout

Casualties unknown • Alexandria, MN, US

A Piper PA-34 veered off a snow-covered runway and struck runway lights and a sign during the landing rollout phase of flight.

What happened

During the landing rollout, the PA-34 veered off the snow-covered runway. During the excursion, the aircraft impacted runway lights and a sign.

The investigation

Investigators noted that the airplane's windshield had an ice accumulation of approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch. While en route to the destination airport, the pilot had been issued a Center Weather Advisory (CWA) which reported patchy severe mixed icing in clouds and precipitation, along with a chance of severe clear icing.

Examination of the aircraft's windshields revealed that the left and right side pilot windshields of the standard PA-34 contained rectangular areas measuring approximately 23 inches by 32 inches. The heated windshield plate area was measured at approximately 3-1/2 inches by 7-1/2 inches.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1999-12-23 Piper PA-34-220T accident near Alexandria, MN?

A Piper PA-34 veered off a snow-covered runway and struck runway lights and a sign during the landing rollout phase of flight.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1999-12-23 involved a Piper PA-34-220T, registration N8417A, at Alexandria, MN.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's inadequate inflight decision to continue flight into icing conditions. An additional cause was the directional control not maintained by the pilot. Contributing factors were the viewable area of the aircraft's heated windshield panel, in-flight icing conditions, the snow covered runway, haze, runway edge…

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