Accident Overview
On June 16, 2018, at approximately 1300 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, registered as N621PG, was substantially damaged during a landing accident near Page, Arizona. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The two commercial pilots on board were not injured.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right, and he was unable to maintain directional control. The aircraft subsequently exited the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and found that the nose steering/centering mechanism had fractured and separated from the nose wheel assembly. This resulted in a misalignment when the gear was extended.
The airport manager reported that no foreign object debris was located on the runway or the grassy area off the right side of the runway where the airplane came to rest.
Review of accident site pictures revealed three skid marks visible from the runway centerline to where the airplane came to rest. The center skid mark, corresponding to the nose landing gear, was darker and approximately two to three times wider than the outside skid marks, which corresponded to the main landing gear.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage as a result of the accident.