# Accident 20020804021459A: Piper PA46350P, Benton Harbor, MI, August 4, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 4, 2002, 13:32 local time
- Place: Benton Harbor, MI
- Airport: Ross Field-Twin Cities
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1275° N, 86.3950° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1275&lon=-86.3950&mi=10
- Aircraft: N316PM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N316PM-2003-01-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA 46-350P (registry code 7104620, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46350P
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540*
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 2,400 total, 150 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02FA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA231) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020804021459A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON AUGUST 4, 2002, AT 1336 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-46-350P, N316PM, OWNED AND PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED JOE FOSS FIELD AIRPORT (FSD), SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, AT 1000 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AND HAD THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF TOLEDO EXPRESS AIRPORT (TOL), TOLEDO, OHIO. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING AN ENGINE FAILURE AND WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO THE SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN REGIONAL AIRPORT (BEH), BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ONE NAUTICAL MILE EAST OF RUNWAY 27 (5,109 FEET BY 100 FEET, DRY ASPHALT). (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM SOUIX FALLS, SD TO TOLEDO, OH AT FL 190. PILOT REPORTED TO CHICAGO CENTER THAT A/C ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, THEN REPORTED THAT ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING AND SEIZED UP. FLIGHT WA              S HANDED OFF TO SBN APPROACH AND GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO BEH AIRPORT FOR EMERGENCY LANDING. A/C WAS VECTORED FOR A7 MILE FINAL TO RW27. A/C CRASHED ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE SHORT OF THE RW IN AN APPLE ORCHARD. THE A/C BROKE APART UPON IMPACT AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. FAA AND NTSB WERE ON ACCIDENT SITE CONDUCTING INVESTIGATION.

## 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 CHI02FA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA231), Aug 4, 2002: Piper PA-46-350P (N316PM), Benton Harbor, MI, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed above stall speed resulting in a stall/spin. Additional causes were the pilot not maintaining best glide airspeed and optimal glidepath following the loss of…

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.

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