Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the right, and the pilot applied left rudder to correct back to the runway centerline. About the same time, the engine turbocharger became effective, increasing the left yaw. The pilot was unable to counteract the left yaw and aborted the takeoff. The airplane departed the runway and impacted a snow bank, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The lower section of the engine mount had fractured surfaces consistent with overstress fractures, which were likely caused by the nose landing gear collapse sequence.
Source record
Factual narrative
On March 7, 2013, about 1530 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P airplane, N715BB, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion at Johnson County Executive Airport (KOJC), Olathe, Kansas. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Johnson County Aviation Group LLC and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from KOJC at 1530. During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported the airplane veered to the right so he applied left rudder to correct back to the runway centerline. At about the same time, the engine turbocharger became effective, increasing the left yaw. The pilot was unable to counteract the left yaw with the rudder and aborted the takeoff. The airplane impacted a snow bank and departed the runway into soft ground, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear and substantial damage to the firewall and engine mount. Federal Aviation Administration officials inspected the steering bungee/spring, rudder cable tension, rudder trim position, tire pressure, and rake angle of the nose gear. The engine mount was examined at the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The fractured surfaces on the engine mount were consistent with overstress fractures. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.