NTSB Factual Report

On December 25, 2001, at 1016 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N666DE, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 18 (4,099 feet by 75 feet, concrete) at the Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC), Olathe, Kansas. The airplane went off of the left side of the runway, crossed a parallel taxiway and went down an embankment. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not on a flight plan and was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot and his one pasasenger were not injured. The local flight originated at an undetermined time.

In a written statement, the pilot said that he landed on the centerline of runway 18 at OJC and when he applied the brakes, "...it felt like the left brake 'grabbed' and jerked me to the left. While still on the runway I applied power and right rudder to try to straighten me out. I immediately [went] left very quickly on to the grass." The airplane crossed a taxiway, down an embankment and impacted in a creek.

A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted. The nose landing gear fork was found fractured in two places near the attachment to the strut portion of the landing gear. No other anomalies were found with respect to the airplane, or its systems that were determined to have existed prior to impact.

The nose landing gear fork was examined by the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory. The fork was found to have deformation consistent with excessive lateral loading. The fracture surfaces were examined and both fractures exhibited signatures consistent with overstress. No evidence of fatigue or preexisting damage was found.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing resulting in the overload of the nose gear fork. The overload failure of the nose landing gear fork, the embankment, and the remedial action not possible were contributing factors.