CHI06LA061

Factual narrative

On January 4, 2006, at 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N190PH, piloted by a private pilot, impacted terrain during landing when it veered off runway 29 at Worthington Municipal (OTG), Worthington, Minnesota. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating on an instrument rules flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The flight originated from Scott City Municipal, Scott City, Kansas, at 1615 and was en route to OTG. The pilot stated that he departed from Scott City, Kansas, and was returning to OTG. The OTG Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) reported a ceiling of 600 feet above ground level, 10 statute mile visibility, and calm winds. He stated that he "did not feel that this was accurate" so he checked Joe Foss Field (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sheldon Municipal Airport (SHL), Sheldon, Iowa, AWOS reports. The pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions 5-8 miles southwest of the airport and performed an instrument landing system approach to runway 29. He had the runway in sight at an altitude approximately 2,300 feet mean sea level. While on final approach, he "recognized" that there was a "significant crosswind". He applied right aileron and full left rudder but was unable to keep the airplane to the right side of the runway and touched down left of center. The airplane moved "quickly" to the left and departed off the side of the runway and into snow, which folded the nose wheel landing gear. OTG is served by runway 11-29 (5,506 feet by 100 feet, grooved asphalt) and runway 17-35 (4,201 feet by 100 feet, grooved asphalt) with a lighted wind sock located east of approach end of runway 35. OTG was equipped with a Qualimetics model 200 AWOS installed in the early 1990s. Later AWOS models were equipped with error checking correlating wind speed and direction, and may also incorporate a heater. The OTG AWOS recorded wind speed of 0 degrees and direction of 000 for the entire accident day. The Windom Municipal Airport, Windom, Minnesota, AWOS, located about 25.6 NM northeast of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 300 degrees at 6 knots. The Jackson Municipal Airport, Jackson, Minnesota, AWOS, located about 25.7 NM east of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 320 degrees at 7 knots and wind 310 degrees at 11 knots. The SHL AWOS, located about 29 nautical miles south of OTG, recorded at 1855 and 1955, wind 310 degrees at 10 knots and wind 330 at 11 knots, respectively. The FSD AWOS, located about 50.7 nautical miles east of OTG, recorded at 1856 and 1956, wind 320 degrees at 8 knots. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspection of the OTG AWOS following the accident revealed that the AWOS was covered with ice, which inhibited operation of the wind speed and direction sensors. The FAA had no record of any Notices to Airman pertaining to the OTG AWOS on the day of the accident. The maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Piper PA-32-300 is placarded as 17 knots. The airplane veered off the runway after touchdown following a precision instrument approach and landing on runway 29. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the airport's automated weather observing system (AWOS) reported calm winds, but he felt that this was inaccurate so he checked reports from surrounding AWOSs, which reported winds from the northwest at 8-11 knots. The pilot stated that upon touchdown, the airplane moved "quickly" to the left and departed off the side of the runway and into snow, which folded the nose wheel landing gear. The maximum demonstrated cross wind for the airplane is 17 knots. Inspection of the airport's AWOS following the accident revealed that the AWOS was covered with ice, which inhibited operation of the wind speed and direction sensors. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of a Notices to Airman being issued on the day of the accident pertaining to the airport AWOS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12