Piper PA-32-260 accident near Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 19, 2005
On May 19, 2005 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3936W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ypsilanti, Michigan (Willow Run Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane due to undetermined reasons. Factors associated with the accident were the crosswind condition and the taxiway sign which was contacted. THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED OCTOBER 12, 2006!!
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2005 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ypsilanti, Michigan · Willow Run Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3936W · registry record · serial 32-928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a taxiway sign during a landing roll. The pilot reported that after a local flight they entered a left downwind for runway 23L with the tower reporting the winds as being from 150 at 12 knots. The pilot reported that he established a left crab on final approach to stay centered with the runway. He stated that as he flared, he applied right rudder and left aileron. The pilot stated he touched down on the centerline, but the airplane began drifting to the right as the nose wheel touched down. He continued to report, "I again determined I had full left aileron into the left crosswind and applied more left rudder to steer the aircraft back to the centerline." The pilot stated he applied as much left rudder as he could; however, the airplane continued to turn right until it exited the runway and struck a taxiway sign. Airport personnel reported the airplane veered off the right side of runway 23L where it contacted the Taxiway Fox sign. The sign was knocked off of its mount and it came to rest 16 feet from the mount. The airplane came to rest 200 feet off the side of the runway. Inspection of the airplane's brakes, rudder, and steering systems buy the Federal Aviation Administration failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction. A mechanic who inspected the airplane reported excessive play in the nose wheel steering system. THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED OCTOBER 12, 2006!!
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 3,458 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YIP Belleville MI at 12:56 pm
- Destination: YIP Belleville MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23L
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from YIP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.