20021107036279A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA28181 · Fayette, AL · November 7, 2002

Date: November 7, 2002 · 19:00 local
Place: Fayette, AL
Airport: Richard Arthur Field
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8389Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03LA015
Reported as: Piper PA28181
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A1D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,300 total500 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On the night of November 7, 2002 at 1900 CST, a PA-28, N8389Y, crashed while landing at Richard Arthur Field, Fayette Alabama (M95) with the runway lights out. The pilot said that while circling the airport, he notified Fayette police that the runway lights were out. Thirty minutes later, the pilot was informed that the lights couldn't be fixed. He decided to have the runway illuminated with vehicle lights. The pilot had two-way radio communication with ground personnel, and after four passes over the runway at 250 AGL, he decided it was safe to land the airplane. On final approach and prior to touchdown the airplane veered to the left of the centerline, and made contact with a pickup truck, which was parked three feet off of the runway. The left wing struck the truck and sheared off from the airplane. The airplane started tumbling and came to rest inverted. The pilot received no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 7, 2002 AT 1900 CST, A PA-28, N8389Y, CRASHED WHILE LANDING AT RICHARD ARTHUR FIELD, FAYETTE ALABAMA (M95) WITH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS OUT. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE CIRCLING THE AIRPORT, HE NOTIFIED FAYETTE POLICE THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE OUT. THIRTY MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHTS COULDN'T BE FIXED. HE DECIDED TO HAVE THE RUNWAY ILLUMINATED WITH VEHICLE LIGHTS. THE PILOT HAD TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH GROUND PERSONNEL, AND AFTER FOUR PASSES OVER THE RUNWAY AT 250 AGL, HE DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE. ON FINAL APPROACH AND PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE, AND MADE CONTACT WITH A PICKUP TRUCK, WHICH WAS PARKED THREE FEET OFF OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TRUCK AND SHEARED OFF FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TUMBLING AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL03LA015Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFayette, ALThe pilot's poor inflight decision to land on a non illuminated runway, and the pilot's failure to maintain clearance during an attempted night landing that resulted in an on ground collision with a parked car. A factor was the light condition.Nov 8, 2002 · Substantial damage