What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Right seat pilot glenn hansen was on approach to Westerly runway 25 with the engine power reduced to idle RPM and added power to correct for low altitude. Hansen reported that the engine failed to respond. Both pilots reported left seat pilot and owner reynaldo texidor switched the fuel selector to the left tank and attempted to restart the engine without success. The aircraft contacted trees slightly to the right of the centerline of runway 25 severing the left wing from the fuselage and came to rest nearly vertical nose down approximately 500 feet from the approach end embankment on the east side of us route 1 beside the chamber of commerce building parking lot. (.19) on March 1, 2003, about 1455 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N8547N, was substantially damaged during a collision with trees, while on approach to Westerly State Airport (wst), Westerly, rhode island. The certificated private pilot and pilot rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The pilot State d that he was performing touch-and-go landings to runway 25 at wst. He had completed three landings with the fuel selector positioned to the left tank, and two landings with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank. The pilot rated passenger was manipulating the controls during the sixth approach. While on a base leg for the runway, the engine lost all power, and the pilot took control of the airplane. He verified that the fuel pump was on, and positioned the fuel selector to a different tank. He also cycled the throttle and ignition key in an attempt to restart the engine. The engine did not restart, and the airplane struck trees prior to the runway. A federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage. She stated that the left wing had separated, but the right wing remained intact. The inspector observed fuel in the fuel selector, carburetor bow, and right fuel tank. The fuel in the carburetor bowl and carburetor strainer was absent of debris. She noted that one propeller blade was bent aft, and missing the tip, and the other blade was twisted. The muffler was bent smoothly, with no cracks. The inspector was able to rotate the propeller by hand, and confirm crankshaft and camshaft continuity.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) RIGHT SEAT PILOT GLENN HANSEN WAS ON APPROACH TO WESTERLY RUNWAY 25 WITH THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO IDLE RPM AND ADDED POWER TO CORRECT FOR LOW ALTITUDE. HANSEN REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED LEFT SEAT PILOT AND OWNER REYNALDO TEXIDOR SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 25 SEVERING THE LEFT WING FROM THE FUSELAGE AND CAME TO REST NEARLY VERTICAL NOSE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END EMBANKMENT ON THE EAST SIDE OF US ROUTE 1 BESIDE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING PARKING LOT. (.19) ON MARCH 1, 2003, ABOUT 1455 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-235, N8547N, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH TREES, WHILE ON APPROACH TO WESTERLY STATE AIRPORT (WST), WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT STATE D THAT HE WAS PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS TO RUNWAY 25 AT WST. HE HAD COMPLETED THREE LANDINGS WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK, AND TWO LANDINGS WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS DURING THE SIXTH APPROACH. WHILE ON A BASE LEG FOR THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, AND THE PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE VERIFIED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS ON, AND POSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO A DIFFERENT TANK. HE ALSO CYCLED THE THROTTLE AND IGNITION KEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART, AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE. SHE STATED THAT THE LEFT WING HAD SEPARATED, BUT THE RIGHT WING REMAINED INTACT. THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED FUEL IN THE FUEL SELECTOR, CARBURETOR BOW, AND RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL AND CARBURETOR STRAINER WAS ABSENT OF DEBRIS. SHE NOTED THAT ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS BENT AFT, AND MISSING THE TIP, AND THE OTHER BLADE WAS TWISTED. THE MUFFLER WAS BENT SMOOTHLY, WITH NO CRACKS. THE INSPECTOR WAS ABLE TO ROTATE THE PROPELLER BY HAND, AND CONFIRM CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT CONTINUITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.