Piper PA-32R-301 N35718 accident near Sparta, Michigan

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glideslope during final approach, which resulted in contact with a snowbank at the approach end of the runway.

NTSB analysis

The airplane touched down short of the runway and encountered a snowbank adjacent to the approach threshold. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded along the runway before coming to rest. The pilot reported that he “misjudged the end of the runway” during landing after executing a GPS approach. There were no malfunctions associated with the airplane before the accident. He noted that maintaining the glideslope guidance provided by the precision approach path indicator would have prevented the accident. Additionally, canceling his instrument flight plan while on the approach “proved distracting.” The snowbank was less than 3-ft high and would not have been an issue had the pilot maintained the proper approach glideslope. Although the airframe accumulated about 1/2 inch of ice during the descent and approach, there is no evidence that it contributed to the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA112 for the full record.