20030709013689A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Stewart Island, WA · July 9, 2003

Date: July 9, 2003 · 20:00 local
Place: Stewart Island, WA
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N125ER
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA131
Reported as: Piper PA28161
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,255 total660 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

N125ERRegistration cancelled Jan 11, 2018 · Piper PA-28-161S/N 28-7916200 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-161 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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 stated that while attempting to land to the west that she had made visual contact with a helicopter that was parked on the apron at the end of the runway. Pilot initiated a go around at which time she tried to make radio contact with the helicopter and had no response. Pilot then circled the airport twice, again trying to make radio contact with the helicopter, again with no response. Pilot then stated that she decided to land to the east, and that all was going well, but just prior to touch down that she was blinded by the glare of the sun off the water. The aircraft was in the flare and that prior to touchdown, the aircraft had veered to the left approximately 10 feet, at which time the left wing made contact with a tree.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND TO THE WEST THAT SHE HAD MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH A HELICOPTER THAT WAS PARKED ON THE APRON AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AT WHICH TIME SHE TRIED TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE HELICOPTER AND HAD NO RESPONSE. PILOT THEN CIRCLED THE AIRPORT TWICE, AGAIN TRYING TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE HELICOPTER, AGAIN WITH NO RESPONSE. PILOT THEN STATED THAT SHE DECIDED TO LAND TO THE EAST, AND THAT ALL WAS GOING WELL, BUT JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN THAT SHE WAS BLINDED BY THE GLARE OF THE SUN OFF THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE FLARE AND THAT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT HAD VEERED TO THE LEFT APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET, AT WHICH TIME THE LEFT WING MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE.

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 SEA03LA131Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportStuart Island, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance while maneuvering to land. Contributing factors included the tree and the sunglare condition.Jul 10, 2003 · Substantial damage