Accident Details
On July 31, 2017, at 1158 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N2146R, collided with a runway sign while landing at Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver, Colorado. The aircraft was registered to Plane Omdahl LLC and operated by the Aspen Flying Club. The private pilot and a passenger, reported to be a child, were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage.
The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual flight rules conditions existed near the accident site at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB) in Pueblo, Colorado, at 1110.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that earlier in the day, he had departed APA and flown to PUB. Upon touchdown at PUB, the airplane veered to the right, but he was able to keep the airplane on the runway. During the return flight, while landing on runway 35R at APA, the airplane veered sharply to the right when the nose landing gear touched down. While attempting to steer the airplane back onto the runway, the aircraft collided with a runway sign, which separated the right main landing gear assembly. The right wing then contacted the ground, and the airplane veered back to the right, coming to rest in the grass alongside the runway.
The wind reported at APA just prior to the accident was from 60° at 7 knots.
Postaccident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector conducted a postaccident examination of the brakes, tires, steering linkages, struts, and torque tubes. The examination did not reveal any mechanical failure or malfunction that would have resulted in the loss of directional control.
The passenger was a child who was not able to reach the rudder pedals.
Additional Information
The last maintenance performed on the brake system was on February 28, 2017, when the right brake master cylinder was replaced.