On March 16, 2004, a Piper PA-30 (registration N572AS) was involved in an aviation accident near Galveston, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor was the pilot's failure to evaluate the wind, prior to landing downwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A twin-engine airplane veered off runway 31 and into an embankment after the pilot reported a loss of directional control during a downwind landing. The aircraft slid approximately 350 feet.
Accident Details
A twin-engine airplane skidded off runway 31 following a loss of directional control while landing downwind. The aircraft slid for approximately 350 feet and veered off the right side of the runway into an embankment.
Pilot Report
The 580-hour pilot reported that the final approach was "normal." As the aircraft touched down on runway 31, the main landing gear made contact first, followed by the nose landing gear. After the nose wheel touched down, the airplane immediately began to feel "squirrelly," and inputs to the rudder "seemed" to be ineffective. The pilot stated that the brakes "locked up."
Wind Conditions
Winds at the airport at the time of the accident were reported from 130 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft Examination
Flight control continuity was established and no anomalies were found with the airframe.