On February 20, 2000, a Piper PA-32-300 (registration N2233L) operated by Michael D. Clark was involved in an aviation accident near Nashville, TN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Following nose gear touchdown, an airplane veered sharply left, departed the runway, and struck a ditch. No mechanical issues were found during inspection.
Event Sequence
According to the pilot, immediately after the nose landing gear touched down, the airplane experienced a sudden and severe leftward veer. The pilot attempted to correct the directional deviation by applying right rudder input, but the airplane continued to deviate from the runway heading. It subsequently rolled off the runway surface and collided with a ditch.
Investigation
An FAA inspector who responded to the scene conducted an examination of the airframe. The inspection did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or component failures. The specific cause of the loss of directional control was not determined from the available information.