Piper PA46 N88VZ accident near Petersburg, West Virginia

Probable cause

A loss of control during the landing roll and subsequent runway excursion for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot was landing the airplane with the yaw damper off, the rudder trim near neutral, and both rudder pedals centered. The pilot reported feeling the airplane slide after touchdown, similar to being on an ice patch, but did not recall if the nose landing gear was on the runway before or at the time of the slide. He immediately applied right rudder and brake to maintain directional control. As the airplane started to veer to the left, he moved the power lever into beta to slow the airplane but was unable to keep the airplane on the runway surface. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted a small berm, resulting in a nose landing gear collapse. The pilot subsequently walked the runway and did not see any ice but observed rubber transfer marks from the right main and nose landing gear tires.

The nose and main landing gear tire pressures at the time of the accident could not be confirmed although there was no evidence of sidewall scuffing or slippage of the nose landing tire or tube. The nose landing gear rake angle could not be determined due to damage, but the nose landing gear steering bungee appeared intact.

Although the collar of the nose landing gear trunnion was damaged, and the nose landing gear rake angle was set to 0.1° less than the minimum specified at the last annual inspection, neither of those conditions likely contributed to the on-ground loss of control. The reason for the runway excursion could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA086 for the full record.