19971211038559A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Pittsville, MD · December 11, 1997

Date: December 11, 1997 · 22:35 local
Place: Pittsville, MD
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3448W
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC98FA041
Reported as: Piper PA32260
Reported engine: Lycoming O540E4B5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 600 total

N3448WRegistration cancelled Aug 31, 1998 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32315 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260

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.

(Tty) acft crashed und unk circ, all 3 POB suffered fatal inj. Acft was destroyed. Salisbury, MD. (.4)the noninstrument-rated pilot and two passengers departed from an unlighted grass strip in night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). A witness, who observed the takeoff, stated the ground visibility was 1,200 feet. A witness, who lived near the accident site, stated that he was in bed when he was awakened by the sound of an airplane approaching. He said the engine noise sounded constant, and after the airplane passed over his house, he heard a 'thud.' The main wreckage of the airplane came to rest in a wooded area, about 4.3 miles from the departure airport. Examination of the wreckage did not disclosed any preimpact malfunction. Toxicology tests of the pilot showed he had a blood/alcohol level of 102 mg/dl (0.102%) and a urine/alcohol level of 221 mg/dl (0.221%). Before flight, the pilot had been observed ingesting alcoholic beverages.

As the FAA filed it

(TTY) ACFT CRASHED UND UNK CIRC, ALL 3 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. ACFT WAS DESTROYED. SALISBURY, MD. (.4)THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED FROM AN UNLIGHTED GRASS STRIP IN NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). A WITNESS, WHO OBSERVED THE TAKEOFF, STATED THE GROUND VISIBILITY WAS 1,200 FEET. A WITNESS, WHO LIVED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE, STATED THAT HE WAS IN BED WHEN HE WAS AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF AN AIRPLANE APPROACHING. HE SAID THE ENGINE NOISE SOUNDED CONSTANT, AND AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER HIS HOUSE, HE HEARD A 'THUD.' THE MAIN WRECKAGE OF THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA, ABOUT 4.3 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT DISCLOSED ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT SHOWED HE HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 102 MG/DL (0.102%) AND A URINE/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 221 MG/DL (0.221%). BEFORE FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD BEEN OBSERVED INGESTING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

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 NYC98FA041Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportPittsville, MDthe pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, his resultant improper planning/decision and flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude while flying over wooded terrain. Factors…Dec 12, 1997 · Destroyed