No fatalities

10 Jul 2010: PIPER PA32RT 300T — RAD Aviation LLC — Sedona, AZ

Sedona, AZ, United States

On 10 Jul 2010, a PIPER PA32RT 300T operated by RAD Aviation LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Sedona, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain runway alignment during approach and subsequent loss of directional control during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that a shallow approach angle caused loss of sight of runway lights during flare, leading to a left drift, ground contact, and a runway sign strike. Damage was discovered the next day.

Incident Details

The pilot of an airplane reported that during the landing approach, he flew at a shallow angle, which caused him to lose sight of the runway lighting system during the flare. As a result, while flaring, the aircraft drifted to the left, causing the left main landing gear to touch down on the dirt adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the airplane veered left and struck a runway sign. The pilot stated that he was unaware of striking the sign and was able to correct the aircraft back to the center of the runway. The remainder of the landing roll and taxi were uneventful.

Aftermath

The damage to the underside of the left wing and the runway sign was not discovered until the following day. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures were known to have occurred before the accident.

Contributing factors

Heading/course — Not attained/maintainedDirectional control — Not attained/maintained