Piper PA-60-601P accident near Statesville, North Carolina, March 3, 1999
On March 3, 1999 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered N727MB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway. Factors in this accident were excessive approach speed, rain, and a wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1999 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N727MB · no longer on the register · serial 07968063408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the second localizer approach to runway 10 (5,004 feet long and 100 feet wide), the airplane touched down about 1,000 feet from the approach end. Once in the grass, the airplane slid sideways to the right, then regained a more positive straight ahead tracking, encountered a 3 to 4 foot embankment and became airborne again for a very short period of time until airspeed dropped off. The aircraft traveled horizontally for about 70 feet then vertically for 30 feet. The aircraft hit the ground, bounced and slid into the airport security fence. At 1815Z [1315], the pilot checked the weather again. He said, '...the ceiling was now 1,200 broken, 5 miles with winds out of the Southeast at 10 knots and light rain. During this time we were in and out of rain showers and moderate turbulence.' He said that during the approach, '...there was a strong wind from the west,' which gave him a higher ground speed, and he '...reached the MDA (minimum descent altitude) over the beginning of the runway.' He started a missed approach and requested vectors for another approach. The pilot said, '...when I was established on the approach, I got down to the MDA this time about 2.5 miles from the runway and saw the runway about 1 mile. We descended to the runway and touched down at the 1,000 feet marker, so I knew that I had 4,000 feet of runway remaining. The first 1,500 feet everything looked normal and I smoothly applied the brakes and I realized that the aircraft was acting like it was on ice and I was hydroplaning. I started pumping the brakes which seem to not make any difference, then I saw there was a big obstruction at the end of the runway (localizer antenna), and decided to go right of the obstruction. On the grass I had a hard time to keep the aircraft straight and to keep it going in the direction I wanted...we hit something and fell down 25 feet and came to a full stop....' During the post accident inspection of the aircraft evidence of hydroplaning was found on both main tires.' The reported weather at 1815Z (1315), the report the pilot had received prior to his first approach, was winds 200 degrees at 6 knots, the reported visibility was 3 sm. The reported winds at 1835Z (1335), about the time of the second approach and the accident were from 310 degrees, at 15 knots, with gusts to 31 knots. The reported visibility was 1 1/2 miles.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,538 hours in all; 1,325 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 4,223 as pilot in command; 2,017 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1999; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Marietta GA at 5:05 pm
- Destination: SVH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 15 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from SVH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.