Dupage County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Chicago, Illinois 60185
Friday, April 11, 2014 16:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 11, 2014, about 1607 central daylight time, N1972M, a Piper PA-46-350P airplane, experienced a landing gear collapse following a loss of directional control on landing at the DuPage County Airport (DPA), West Chicago, Illinois. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the firewall and wings. The airplane was registered to General Leasing of Michigan LLC and was operated by the pilot/owner as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the DuPont-Lapeer Airport (D95), Lapeer, Michigan, about 1530 eastern daylight time. The pilot reported he made a smooth landing on runway 20R at DPA and as soon as the nose gear touched down, the airplane "yanked severely to the left." The airplane traveled into the grass off the left side of the runway near taxiway Golf. The right wing contacted an airport sign and the landing gear collapsed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/2014
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1607
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City West Chicago
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60185
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415432N
Event Location Longitude 0881457W
Event Location Airport DuPage County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 759
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1610 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 759
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 14 2014 8:58PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1972M
NTSB Number CEN14LA196
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4636524
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 6
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENERAL LEASING OF MICHIGAN LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City METAMORA
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 484558714
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name GENERAL LEASING OF MICHIGAN LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City METAMORA
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 484558714
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D95
Departure City Lapeer
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DPA
Destination City West Chicago
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2014 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20R
Runway Length 7571
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --