# Accident 20030709013689A: Piper PA28161, Stewart Island, WA, July 9, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2003, 20:00 local time
- Place: Stewart Island, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.6739° N, 123.1756° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.6739&lon=-123.1756&mi=10
- Aircraft: N125ER, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N125ER-2018-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,255 total, 660 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA03LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA131) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030709013689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA03LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA131), Jul 10, 2003: Piper PA-28-161 (N125ER), Stuart Island, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance while maneuvering to land. Contributing factors included the tree and the sunglare condition.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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