What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 30, 2001, about 1808 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N7427J, was last observed in the vicinity of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The airplane had departed the burke lakefront airport (bkl), cleveland, Ohio, about 1520, and as of January 3, 2002, the airplane had not been located. The certificated commercial pilot is presumed fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane had initially departed from bkl earlier in the day; however, the airplane returned due to a landing gear system malfunction. After landing, the pilot taxied the airplane to a hangar, where maintenance personnel worked on the malfunction. The airplane then departed on a test flight for about 45 minutes and returned to bkl a second time. The pilot then requested an IFR cearance to the Igor I. Sikorsky memorial airport (bdr), Bridgeport, Connecticut, and departed. As the airplane arrived in the bdr area, the controller cleared the airplane for a visual approach to runway 29. The pilot stated tothe controller that he could not visually obtain the airport, and was subsequently vectored for the VOR runway 29 approach. As the airplane was inbound on the approach, radar contact was lost about 4 miles east of bdr. According to line service personnel at a fixed base operator at bkl, the airplane was "topped off" with 11 gallons of aviation fuel on December 29. The pilot did not request any additional fuel upon his returns to bkl, after the test flight. The weather at bdr, at 1756, was reported as. Winds from 300 degrees at 13 knots, gusts to 17 knots; 10 statute miles of visibility; clear skies. (-23) the aircraft was reported missing after being radar vectored to the bdr VOR runway 29 approach in VMC conditions. It was the pilots second attempt to visually locate the airport. The airplane never arrived at the airport after being cleared to land. The airplane and pilot were found in 38 feet of water approx. 4 NM northeast of bdr in the long island sound.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 30, 2001, ABOUT 1808 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-180, N7427J, WAS LAST OBSERVED IN THE VICINITY OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED THE BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT (BKL), CLEVELAND, OHIO, ABOUT 1520, AND AS OF JANUARY 3, 2002, THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN LOCATED. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT IS PRESUMED FATALLY INJURED. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE AIRPLANE HAD INITIALLY DEPARTED FROM BKL EARLIER IN THE DAY; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE RETURNED DUE TO A LANDING GEAR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO A HANGAR, WHERE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WORKED ON THE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRPLANE THEN DEPARTED ON A TEST FLIGHT FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND RETURNED TO BKL A SECOND TIME. THE PILOT THEN REQUESTED AN IFR CEARANCE TO THE IGOR I. SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT (BDR), BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, AND DEPARTED. AS THE AIRPLANE ARRIVED IN THE BDR AREA, THE CONTROLLER CLEARED THE AIRPLANE FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29. THE PILOT STATED TOTHE CONTROLLER THAT HE COULD NOT VISUALLY OBTAIN THE AIRPORT, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY VECTORED FOR THE VOR RUNWAY 29 APPROACH. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS INBOUND ON THE APPROACH, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF BDR. ACCORDING TO LINE SERVICE PERSONNEL AT A FIXED BASE OPERATOR AT BKL, THE AIRPLANE WAS "TOPPED OFF" WITH 11 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL ON DECEMBER 29. THE PILOT DID NOT REQUEST ANY ADDITIONAL FUEL UPON HIS RETURNS TO BKL, AFTER THE TEST FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT BDR, AT 1756, WAS REPORTED AS. WINDS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, GUSTS TO 17 KNOTS; 10 STATUTE MILES OF VISIBILITY; CLEAR SKIES. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING AFTER BEING RADAR VECTORED TO THE BDR VOR RUNWAY 29 APPROACH IN VMC CONDITIONS. IT WAS THE PILOTS SECOND ATTEMPT TO VISUALLY LOCATE THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE NEVER ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AFTER BEING CLEARED TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT WERE FOUND IN 38 FEET OF WATER APPROX. 4 NM NORTHEAST OF BDR IN THE LONG ISLAND SOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7427J · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.