What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 17, 2002, at 0855 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N4480M, was substantially damaged when it struck a tree while approaching ashland airport (3PN1), Clifford, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed for the flight, between seamans field (9N3), factoryville, Pennsylvania, and Clifford. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the approach path to the southeast runway had been cut into a stand of trees. The trees had not yet developed spring foliage, and the approach path was aligned with the rising sun. The airplane struck a tree on the left side of the approach path, and came to rest on the ground with the nose pointing about 310 degrees magnetic. On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed that one of the propeller blades was bent back, and the nose cone had spiral scoring. Engine oil and spark plugs appeared to be new. The tanks were full of fuel, and fuel was drained from the carburetor. Weather, recorded at an airport about 20 nautical miles to south, at 0854, included calm winds, clear skies, and a visibility of 8 statute miles. (-23) the aircraft was on short final to runway 150 at approximately 9 am EDT. Aircraft's left wing impacted top of leafless trees, spun left, descended onto lake bed and skid approximately 60 feet, coming to rest in a north easterly direction, about a 030 degree heading, in three to four feet of water.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 17, 2002, AT 0855 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-12, N4480M, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE WHILE APPROACHING ASHLAND AIRPORT (3PN1), CLIFFORD, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, BETWEEN SEAMANS FIELD (9N3), FACTORYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CLIFFORD. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE APPROACH PATH TO THE SOUTHEAST RUNWAY HAD BEEN CUT INTO A STAND OF TREES. THE TREES HAD NOT YET DEVELOPED SPRING FOLIAGE, AND THE APPROACH PATH WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RISING SUN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE APPROACH PATH, AND CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND WITH THE NOSE POINTING ABOUT 310 DEGREES MAGNETIC. ON-SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WAS BENT BACK, AND THE NOSE CONE HAD SPIRAL SCORING. ENGINE OIL AND SPARK PLUGS APPEARED TO BE NEW. THE TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL, AND FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE CARBURETOR. WEATHER, RECORDED AT AN AIRPORT ABOUT 20 NAUTICAL MILES TO SOUTH, AT 0854, INCLUDED CALM WINDS, CLEAR SKIES, AND A VISIBILITY OF 8 STATUTE MILES. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 150 AT APPROXIMATELY 9 AM EDT. AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING IMPACTED TOP OF LEAFLESS TREES, SPUN LEFT, DESCENDED ONTO LAKE BED AND SKID APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET, COMING TO REST IN A NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION, ABOUT A 030 DEGREE HEADING, IN THREE TO FOUR FEET OF WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.