20030831021619A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-46-310P · Hilton Head Is, SC · August 31, 2003

Date: August 31, 2003 · 15:29 local
Place: Hilton Head Is, SC
Airport: Hilton Head Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N70DL
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03FA133
Reported as: Piper PA46310P
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,203 total

N70DLRegistration cancelled Mar 6, 2017 · Piper PA-46-310PS/N 46-8608001 · Built 1985 Airframe modelPiper PA-46-310P Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 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) It was reported that on takeoff roll N70DL reported, "N70DL returning to Hilton Head Airport for an emergency landing ? Cover off". It was also reported that the aircraft was losing altitude on downwind but going at a high rate of speed estimated at 200 knots. The aircraft "popped back up" and turned very steep left turn to base leg. Observers could see both wings (three quarters of the right wing). When aircraft turned to final still in a steep left turn the nose came up to about 20 degrees and the aircraft went behind a tree and never appeared on the other side of the tree. The aircraft crashed approximately one half mile from the approach end of runway 21 at Hilton Head Airport, SC.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) IT WAS REPORTED THAT ON TAKEOFF ROLL N70DL REPORTED, "N70DL RETURNING TO HILTON HEAD AIRPORT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING ? COVER OFF". IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE ON DOWNWIND BUT GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ESTIMATED AT 200 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT "POPPED BACK UP" AND TURNED VERY STEEP LEFT TURN TO BASE LEG. OBSERVERS COULD SEE BOTH WINGS (THREE QUARTERS OF THE RIGHT WING). WHEN AIRCRAFT TURNED TO FINAL STILL IN A STEEP LEFT TURN THE NOSE CAME UP TO ABOUT 20 DEGREES AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT BEHIND A TREE AND NEVER APPEARED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 21 AT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, SC.

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 ATL03FA133Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportHilton Head Is, SCThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a VFR pattern for a precautionary landing, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent collision with terrain. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the…Aug 31, 2003 · Destroyed