# Accident 20011230034409A: Piper PA28R180, Bridgeport, CT, December 30, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 30, 2001, 18:08 local time - Place: Bridgeport, CT - Airport: Igor I Sikorsky Memorial - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.1822° N, 73.0269° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1822&lon=-73.0269&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7427J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7427J-2015-05-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-180 (registry code 7102809, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R180 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD02FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02FA024) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011230034409A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.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. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB IAD02FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02FA024), Dec 30, 2001: Piper PA-28R-180 (N7427J), Milford, CT, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the published IFR approach procedure, which resulted in a premature descent and subsequent impact with water. A factor was the night, overwater visual conditions. ## Other reports on N7427J (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19990527016129I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990527016129I), May 27, 1999: Piper PA28R180 (N7427J), Cleveland, OH, Minor damage. On may 27, 1999, at approximately 2045 EDT, a Piper PA28R-180, n 74271J, registered to Mr. John m. hageman, the passenger, landed gear up at Burke lake front… - [Accident 19920917037099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920917037099A), Sep 17, 1992: Piper PA28R180 (N7427J), Middle Bass Isl, OH, Substantial damage. Stalled after low speed flair on second attempt to land on the short strip. Impact broke off landing gear. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.