# Accident 20020317005979A: Piper PA31P, Anderson, IN, March 17, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 17, 2002, 23:06 local time - Place: Anderson, IN - Airport: Anderson Municipal - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.0950° N, 85.5336° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0950&lon=-85.5336&mi=10 - Aircraft: N125TT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N125TT-2017-06-19) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-31P (registry code 7103120, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TIGO-541SER (registry code 41539, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tigo-541ser) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA31P - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA094) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020317005979A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON MARCH 18, 2002, AT 2306 EST, A PIPER NAVAJO PA-31-P, N125TT, REGISTERED TO FLOOPIE FLIGHT CORP., DEPARTED LA GRANGE, GEORGIA (LGC), TO ANDERS ON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, INDIANA (AID) ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. DURING INITIAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A STEEP DESCENT AND AN APPARENT TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WITH FATAL INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. TWO DOGS ON BOARD SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA AND THE NTSB. (.19) ON MARCH 17, 2002, AT 2306 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-31P, N125TT, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 3.7 MILES AND 105 DEGREES MAGNETIC FROM THE ANDERSON MUNICIPAL/DARLINGTON FIELD AIRPORT (AID), ANDERSON, INDIANA. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS RUNWAY 30 APPROACH TO AID. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE F LIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE CALLAWAY AIRPORT, LAGRANGE, GEORGIA AT 2056, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO AID. THE WRECKAGE WAS DISTRIBUTED IN A FAN SHAPED PATTERN. THE FUSELAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 365 FEET AND 145 DEGREES MAGNETIC FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE FUSELAGE WAS RESTING PARTIALLY ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR WERE BENT UPWARD. THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR WERE BENT DOWNWARD. THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS BENT TO THE RIGHT. THE FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED REARWARD AND UPWARD. THE CRUSHED AREA EXTENDED INTO THE COCKPIT AREA. THE WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE ROOT. PIECES OF THE RIGHT WING TIP WERE FOUND NEAR THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE LEFT WING WAS RESTING INVERTED ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL. THE PORTION OF THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE ENGINE NACELLE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. A PORTION OF THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WING WAS FOUND RESTING NEAR THE REMAINS OF THE LEFT WING. THE INBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL. BOTH PROPELLERS WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT AND THE FUSELAGE. ONE ENGINE WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT AND THE FUSELAGE. THE OTHER ENGINE WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THE INNER LANDING GEAR DOORS WERE FOUND CLOSED. A WEATHER REPORT FOR AID LISTED THE WEATHER AT 2245 AS; WINDS 190 AT 6 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 1 STATUTE MILE WITH MIST; SKY CONDITION 100 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE 6 DEGREES CELSIUS; DEWPOINT 5 DEGREES CELSIUS; ALTIMETER SETTING 30.00 INCHES OF MERCURY. ## 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 CHI02FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA094), Mar 18, 2002: Piper PA-31P (N125TT), Daleville, IN, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilots failure to maintain control of the airplane during the instrument approach. The low overcast ceiling and the pilot's in-flight decision to execute the instrument approach in below minimum… 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.