What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Original ANE-200, NE-01 mgr., NE-01 spm, NE-01 file, AAI-200 via fax 973-334-6759, send certified to national transportation safety board, northeast regional office, 2001 route 46, suite 504, parsippany, new jersey 07054. privacy data omitted Brief narrative: N5675V, Piper archer, PA-28181, after departure from nantucket (ack), declared an in-flight emergency with boston center 27.5 miles southeast of Block Island at 1330 EDT, 10/14/02, due to smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft was on a VFR flight plan from nantucket to mitchellville, MD. The aircraft diverted to Block Island landing on runway 28 at approximately 1335 EDT. The aircraft landed fast and long, and rolled off the end of the runway hitting an airport perimeter cyclone fence. Both wings and the vertical stabilizer were severely damaged. Damage to the aircraft is considered substantial with only minor injuries to the two passengers and pilot. The FAA inspector found the battery box master relay/solenoid was partially melted. This could have been due to continuous starting attempted by the pilot before take-off from nantucket (ack). Eyewitnesses stated that pilot continually tried to start the eng ine until the battery went dead. The nantucket airport supervisor on duty assisted with a jump-start using the correct Piper aircraft plug and adapters. The pilot took another 10-15 minutes to start the aircraft. The aircraft departed nantucket at approximately 1300 EDT. Soon after departure the passenger in the rear of the aircraft began to smell an electric smell, then saw smoke coming from behind the rear seat bulkhead. The pilot declared an emergency with boston center. The pilot selected his transponder to 7700, and elected to divert to Block Island State Airport in rhode Island (bid). According to eyewitnesses the aircraft landed fast and approximately 800-900 feet down the 2,700-foot runway, ultimately going off end of runway into the airport perimeter cyclone fence. The pilot stated "he could not see clearly because of the smoke, and was getting very dizzy." "He stated that he became extremely disoriented and started seeing double while he was descending into Block Island airport." Malfunction and defect report will be submitted for the failed power relay contactor part number 6041H105A, Piper part number 455-151.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ORIGINAL ANE-200, NE-01 MGR., NE-01 SPM, NE-01 FILE, AAI-200 VIA FAX 973-334-6759, SEND CERTIFIED TO NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, NORTHEAST REGIONAL OFFICE, 2001 ROUTE 46, SUITE 504, PARSIPPANY, NEW JERSEY 07054. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BRIEF NARRATIVE: N5675V, PIPER ARCHER, PA-28181, AFTER DEPARTURE FROM NANTUCKET (ACK), DECLARED AN IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY WITH BOSTON CENTER 27.5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BLOCK ISLAND AT 1330 EDT, 10/14/02, DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM NANTUCKET TO MITCHELLVILLE, MD. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO BLOCK ISLAND LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT APPROXIMATELY 1335 EDT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED FAST AND LONG, AND ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY HITTING AN AIRPORT PERIMETER CYCLONE FENCE. BOTH WINGS AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES TO THE TWO PASSENGERS AND PILOT. THE FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THE BATTERY BOX MASTER RELAY/SOLENOID WAS PARTIALLY MELTED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO CONTINUOUS STARTING ATTEMPTED BY THE PILOT BEFORE TAKE-OFF FROM NANTUCKET (ACK). EYEWITNESSES STATED THAT PILOT CONTINUALLY TRIED TO START THE ENG INE UNTIL THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. THE NANTUCKET AIRPORT SUPERVISOR ON DUTY ASSISTED WITH A JUMP-START USING THE CORRECT PIPER AIRCRAFT PLUG AND ADAPTERS. THE PILOT TOOK ANOTHER 10-15 MINUTES TO START THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NANTUCKET AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 EDT. SOON AFTER DEPARTURE THE PASSENGER IN THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SMELL AN ELECTRIC SMELL, THEN SAW SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE REAR SEAT BULKHEAD. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH BOSTON CENTER. THE PILOT SELECTED HIS TRANSPONDER TO 7700, AND ELECTED TO DIVERT TO BLOCK ISLAND STATE AIRPORT IN RHODE ISLAND (BID). ACCORDING TO EYEWITNESSES THE AIRCRAFT LANDED FAST AND APPROXIMATELY 800-900 FEET DOWN THE 2,700-FOOT RUNWAY, ULTIMATELY GOING OFF END OF RUNWAY INTO THE AIRPORT PERIMETER CYCLONE FENCE. THE PILOT STATED "HE COULD NOT SEE CLEARLY BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE, AND WAS GETTING VERY DIZZY." "HE STATED THAT HE BECAME EXTREMELY DISORIENTED AND STARTED SEEING DOUBLE WHILE HE WAS DESCENDING INTO BLOCK ISLAND AIRPORT." MALFUNCTION AND DEFECT REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR THE FAILED POWER RELAY CONTACTOR PART NUMBER 6041H105A, PIPER PART NUMBER 455-151.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.