No fatalities

10 Jul 2019: Piper PA28 140 — Star Marianas Air, Inc. — Saipan

Saipan, United States

On 10 Jul 2019, a Piper PA28 140 operated by Star Marianas Air, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Saipan. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while exiting the runway, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with taxiway lighting and runway signage. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing roll, the pilot applied aerodynamic braking and attempted to exit at Bravo taxiway. The left main gear fairing struck a taxiway light, and the right wing leading edge struck runway signage, resulting in substantial right wing damage. No preaccident mechanical failures were reported.

Incident Overview

The pilot reported that during the landing roll, he applied aerodynamic braking to slow the aircraft. As the airplane continued along the runway, the pilot attempted to exit at Bravo taxiway. During this maneuver, the airplane departed the runway surface.

Sequence of Events

The left main landing gear wheel fairing struck a taxiway light, and the leading edge of the right wing struck runway signage. The contact with the signage caused substantial damage to the right wing of the airplane.

Pilot Statement

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. No other factors were cited by the pilot regarding the cause of the incident.

Damage Assessment

The airplane sustained substantial damage specifically to the right wing. Other areas of the airplane were not reported as damaged. The extent of damage to the taxiway light and runway signage is not specified in the source.

Conclusion

The incident occurred during a routine landing roll when the pilot attempted to exit the runway. The aerodynamic braking technique was employed, but the aircraft deviated from the intended path, leading to collisions with ground fixtures.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation