No fatalities

20 Aug 2010: PIPER PA-46-310P — LHBG AVIATION LLC — Austin, TX

Austin, TX, United States

On 20 Aug 2010, a PIPER PA-46-310P operated by LHBG AVIATION LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Austin, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain a stabilized approach, which resulted in a loss of control on landing with a tailwind. 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 private pilot, distracted by a passenger, landed with an 18-knot tailwind, then flooded the engine during a go-around, resulting in a runway excursion and damage to the airplane.

Accident Overview

A private pilot reported that he became distracted by his passenger, who was seated in the back of his single-engine, turbo-prop equipped airplane, during the landing. The aircraft landed on a runway with an 18-knot tailwind. After touchdown, the pilot was unable to slow the airplane sufficiently and decided to abort the landing.

Sequence of Events

The pilot attempted to go around by abruptly applying full power. He stated that he pushed the throttle in too fast and received no power, realizing that he had "flooded the engine." Subsequently, the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid approaching obstacles at the end of the runway. The airplane departed the runway surface, crossed a ditch, and came to a stop on an adjacent golf course.

Damage

The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing. The left main landing gear and propeller were also damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

Pilot