20030808030499A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Factoryville, PA · August 8, 2003

Date: August 8, 2003 · 08:00 local
Place: Factoryville, PA
Airport: Seamans Field Airport
Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6373C
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD03FA070
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1D5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 445 total30 in this make and model

N6373CRegistration cancelled Apr 4, 2006 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-7840081 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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) During a vor-a approach to seaman's airport in Factoryville, PA, the aircraft descended and hit trees on what appeared to be a right downwind leg for runway 22. Witnesses present at the airport at the time stated the visibility was approximately 50 to 100 feet in mist and fog. Both the pilot and his passenger sustained fatal injuries, there was no post crash fire, and the aircraft was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING A VOR-A APPROACH TO SEAMAN'S AIRPORT IN FACTORYVILLE, PA, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND HIT TREES ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 22. WITNESSES PRESENT AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME STATED THE VISIBILITY WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 FEET IN MIST AND FOG. BOTH THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES, THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

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 IAD03FA070Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportFactoryville, PAThe pilot's improper in-flight decision to descend below the published minimum descent altitude while executing a non-precision approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in collision with trees. A factor was the fog.Aug 8, 2003 · Destroyed