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19961115035859A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-220T · West Milton, OH · November 15, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 15, 1996 · 18:00 local
Place
West Milton, OH
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N8468H
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD97FA022
Reported as
Piper PA34220T
Reported engine
Continental TSIO360KB
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
626 total56 in this make and model33 in the last 90 days
N8468HRegistration cancelled Jun 10, 1998 · Piper PA-34-220TS/N 348233038Airframe modelPiper PA-34-220T

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot declared emergency, didn't maintain altitude, crashed. (.4)the pilot and passenger were dropped off to pick up the pilot's airplane, after a new global positioning satellite (GPS) unit had been installed. After takeoff, the pilot stated to the flight instructor over the UNICOM frequency that he was having problems with his trim and was heading for dayton. Before contacting the dayton airport, the pilot stated the airplane had a full deflection of elevator down trim, and he was having difficulty holding his altitude. The instructor asked if he had pulled the circuit breaker for the trim, and the pilot answered yes. Shortly thereafter the airplane impacted into a farm field in a near vertical attitude. The king kln 89 GPS unit was wired to the number one VOR and the autopilot in such a manner that the GPS could be coupled to the autopilot. According to the technician, after installation the system was checked on the ground and found to be operational. The repair technician failed to have the aircraft test flown in accordance with FAR 91.407 (b) prior to releasing it to the pilot. (-23) Piper PA-34-220T, N8468H departed brookville airpark (I62) VFR at app roximately 2245 UTC and was on first flight after having a global positioning system (GPS) installed. Shortly after departing (I62) N8468H contacted dayton ATCT and declared an emergency, stating he was having a problem holding altitude and would land at dayton (day). Day ATCT then lost contact with the aircraft. The aircraft crashed 9-10 miles west of dayton (day) at approximately 1800 UTC. Aircraft was destroyed, pilot and one passenger were on board, both fatal. M&d report will be submitted at a later date.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY, DIDN'T MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE DROPPED OFF TO PICK UP THE PILOT'S AIRPLANE, AFTER A NEW GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE (GPS) UNIT HAD BEEN INSTALLED. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT STATED TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY THAT HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS TRIM AND WAS HEADING FOR DAYTON. BEFORE CONTACTING THE DAYTON AIRPORT, THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD A FULL DEFLECTION OF ELEVATOR DOWN TRIM, AND HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY HOLDING HIS ALTITUDE. THE INSTRUCTOR ASKED IF HE HAD PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE TRIM, AND THE PILOT ANSWERED YES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED INTO A FARM FIELD IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE KING KLN 89 GPS UNIT WAS WIRED TO THE NUMBER ONE VOR AND THE AUTOPILOT IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE GPS COULD BE COUPLED TO THE AUTOPILOT. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN, AFTER INSTALLATION THE SYSTEM WAS CHECKED ON THE GROUND AND FOUND TO BE OPERATIONAL. THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN FAILED TO HAVE THE AIRCRAFT TEST FLOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 91.407 (B) PRIOR TO RELEASING IT TO THE PILOT. (-23) PIPER PA-34-220T, N8468H DEPARTED BROOKVILLE AIRPARK (I62) VFR AT APP ROXIMATELY 2245 UTC AND WAS ON FIRST FLIGHT AFTER HAVING A GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) INSTALLED. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING (I62) N8468H CONTACTED DAYTON ATCT AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, STATING HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM HOLDING ALTITUDE AND WOULD LAND AT DAYTON (DAY). DAY ATCT THEN LOST CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 9-10 MILES WEST OF DAYTON (DAY) AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 UTC. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE ON BOARD, BOTH FATAL. M&D REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED AT A LATER DATE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB IAD97FA022Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWest Milton, OHThe pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control after an undetermined failure of the automatic flight control. A contributing factor was failure of the maintenance technician to have the airplane test flown prior to release.Nov 15, 1996 · Destroyed

Other reports on N8468H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19890415063499ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Pittsburgh, PAGear collapsed on landing. Damage indicates a serve drop on landing.Apr 15, 1989 · Substantial damage