Piper PA-28-180 N9101J accident near Jackson, Tennessee

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that following a cross-country flight, on the first approach to land he performed a go-around due to gusting wind and an unstable approach. During the second approach to the same runway, the pilot reported that the approach was stable, however, near the runway threshold the airplane began sinking and impacted the runway with all three wheels at once. Subsequently, the airplane immediately veered to the left off the runway despite the pilot’s attempt to apply wheel brakes and maintain directional control. During the runway excursion, the nose landing gear collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA020 for the full record.