20030519013869A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-260 · Blaney Park, MI · May 19, 2003

Date: May 19, 2003 · 14:00 local
Place: Blaney Park, MI
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9181P
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA130
Reported as: Piper PA24260
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,800 total2,400 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days

N9181PRegistration cancelled Jul 20, 2005 · Piper PA-24-260S/N 24-4671 · Built 1967 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-260 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) Pilot approached rwy 16 at Private Airport (Blaney Park). The approach was low and flat, the aircraft struck tree tops starting approximately 100 feet from the runway. The aircraft struck an embankment just short of the runway and came to rest on the approach end of the runway facing the approach direction. The aircraft sustained damage to the engine and prop, engine mount and firewall, structural damage to the left wing and left stabilizer. The landing gear was sheared off causing more structural damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT APPROACHED RWY 16 AT PRIVATE AIRPORT (BLANEY PARK). THE APPROACH WAS LOW AND FLAT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREE TOPS STARTING APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY FACING THE APPROACH DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND PROP, ENGINE MOUNT AND FIREWALL, STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND LEFT STABILIZER. THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF CAUSING MORE STRUCTURAL 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 CHI03LA130Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBlaney Park, MIThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the tree line. Factors contributing to this accident were the wind gusts and the trees.May 19, 2003 · Substantial damage