Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Destin, Florida 32542
Monday, October 3, 2005 12:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the landing seemed normal for a few seconds, and then the airplane started to swerve to the right. He tried to compensate with the application of hard left brake and full left aileron, but the airplane continued swerving to the right and departed the runway. The nose gear collapsed, and the airplane then slid approximately 300 feet on the main landing gear and the underside of the cowling before coming to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine mount was fractured at the right nose gear actuator attach foot. Rust was visible on the fracture surface, indicating the crack was pre-existing. The crack was in the area that was the subject of a Piper Service Bulletin. The Service Bulletin required operators to inspect the engine mounts for cracks after every 100 hours of flight time, until the engine mount was replaced with a newer model which incorporated one-piece feet at the nose gear actuator attach points. The engine mount installed in the airplane was the original Piper design configuration (two-piece welded foot design). Review of the airplane's maintenance records indicated that the Service Bulletin had not been complied with at the most recent annual inspection conducted 89.1 flight hours prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate design of the engine mount which led to cracking of the mount resulting in a loss of directional control and collapse of the nose landing gear. A contributing factor was the failure of maintenance personnel to comply with a service bulletin to inspect the engine mount for cracks.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/3/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Destin
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32542
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 302400N
Event Location Longitude 0862810W
Event Location Airport DESTIN-FORT WALTON BEACH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KDTS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22324
NTSB Notification Source FAA Atlanta Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Oct 3 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2007 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Birmingham, FSDO-09

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9199P
NTSB Number MIA06LA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4622107
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 89.1
Airframe Hours 3099.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOOKOUT LEASING CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 4119
Aircraft Owner City Chattanooga
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37405
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Robert A. Morrison Jr.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 402 North Palisades Dr.
Operator City Signal Mountain
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37377
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KCHA
Departure City Chattanooga
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KDTS
Destination City Destin
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2007 12:09PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4999
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --