History of Flight
On March 23, 2022, at 1038 central daylight time, a Piper PA-46-600TP (M600), registration N627PR, was substantially damaged during landing at Olive Branch, Mississippi. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot reported executing an instrument landing system approach to runway 18 in visual meteorological conditions, with wind reported as 220° at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots. After reducing power and extending landing gear, the pilot disconnected the autopilot at about 550 ft above ground level. The airplane landed softly at about 85 knots left of the runway centerline. As the pilot attempted to steer toward the centerline, the airplane entered a hard right turn at about 45° angle. The pilot felt left directional input ineffective and applied left rudder; he then neutralized the rudder and the skid reduced. The airplane exited the right side of the runway, crossed wet and muddy grass, and the nose gear collapsed, causing the airplane to come to rest nose down. The main landing gear sustained no damage, but the engine mount was substantially damaged.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate issued in September 2015. His flight experience included about 185 hours in a Cessna 182 and 737 hours in Cessna T240 airplanes. After purchasing the accident airplane, he received 20 hours of M600 training from a Piper dealer pilot and 10 hours from an authorized training provider (4 hours simulator, 6 hours in the accident airplane). The pilot noted that the nose wheel steering and responsiveness differed from his previous experience with free-castering nose wheels; sales staff indicated this was normal.
Aircraft Information
The Piper M600 Pilot's Operating Handbook specifies a maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 17 knots. The reported wind resulted in a crosswind component of about 10 to 14 knots. The nose landing gear (NLG) rake angle is factory-set at 90° with tolerance of +0.5°/0.0°; Piper Service Letter 1286 provides inspection and adjustment instructions. With a 90° rake angle, the steering axis passes through the NLG axle and intersects the ground at the tire contact patch center. With a 90.5° rake, positive trail occurs. The NLG rake angle could not be examined postaccident due to damage.
Airport Information
The landing was on runway 18 at Olive Branch Airport. The runway and ground scars were examined. Initial touchdown marks from the left main landing gear (LMLG) and NLG were observed left of centerline. The airplane veered right, and the nose gear collapsed after departing the runway.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Runway examination revealed the LMLG mark began about 760 ft from the threshold, 17 ft left of centerline. The NLG mark began about 900 ft from threshold, 10 ft left. Both marks drifted left until about 1,140 ft, then veered sharply right. The RMLG mark was not discernable until about 1,170 ft. During the veer, LMLG marks indicated moderate to heavy braking; NLG marks transitioned to heavy skidding. The airplane departed the runway at about 1,330 ft from threshold. Postaccident examination showed NLG, retract actuator, engine mount, and emergency extension spring damaged. NLG tire pressure was 84 psi; MLG tires 90 psi. The NLG assembly was disassembled with no anomalies found.
Additional Information
The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook states that on airplanes with nose-wheel steering interconnected with rudder, the nose wheel may not be aligned at touchdown due to crosswind correction. Piper introduced a new NLG for unpaved field operations starting at S/N 4698198 (accident airplane S/N 4698190). The new design offsets the axle aft 0.5 inch for positive trail. A retrofit kit is available for earlier serial numbers.
Tests and Research
NLG design considerations regarding trail: neutral trail (steering axis vertical), positive trail (steering axis forward of axle, self-aligning), and negative trail (steering axis aft). Positive trail provides positive dynamic stability. The accident airplane's NLG had neutral rake at factory specification.