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20030905030479A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Somerville, NJ · September 5, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 5, 2003 · 16:15 local
Place
Somerville, NJ
Airport
Somerset Airport
Phase of flight
Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N6183J
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC03LA195
Reported as
Piper PA28140
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
30 total30 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days
N6183JRegistration cancelled Apr 26, 2013 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-7625228 · Built 1976Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140Engine 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) On sept. 5, 2003, student pilot frank wardrop was on a local solo flight from Somerset Airport (smq). After entering a left downwind for runway 30 at smq, pilot heard a helicopter call a 5-mile right base for landing. Student pilot continued downwind and entered left base then final leg with the helicopter landing to right side of runway 30 approximately 1/3 of the way down the runway on parallel taxiway ahead of his aircraft. He said he experienced a lot of turbulence about 100 feet over trees on short final and attempted to go around. Pilot was too inexperienced to control aircraft in turbulence and aircraft came up on right wing about 75 degrees, pivoted to the right, then impacted the ground in a nose low attitude, tearing off the prop, spinning the aircraft around and causing right wing to break off, the engine compartment to collapse, the left wing to crumple. According to a witness, the co-pilot of the helicopter that landed in front of the aircraft, "the aircraft spun clockwise off the runway and also ended up on the grass on the right side of the runway. The pilot was moving about the cockpit as people approached to help."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPT. 5, 2003, STUDENT PILOT FRANK WARDROP WAS ON A LOCAL SOLO FLIGHT FROM SOMERSET AIRPORT (SMQ). AFTER ENTERING A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 30 AT SMQ, PILOT HEARD A HELICOPTER CALL A 5-MILE RIGHT BASE FOR LANDING. STUDENT PILOT CONTINUED DOWNWIND AND ENTERED LEFT BASE THEN FINAL LEG WITH THE HELICOPTER LANDING TO RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 30 APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY ON PARALLEL TAXIWAY AHEAD OF HIS AIRCRAFT. HE SAID HE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF TURBULENCE ABOUT 100 FEET OVER TREES ON SHORT FINAL AND ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND. PILOT WAS TOO INEXPERIENCED TO CONTROL AIRCRAFT IN TURBULENCE AND AIRCRAFT CAME UP ON RIGHT WING ABOUT 75 DEGREES, PIVOTED TO THE RIGHT, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, TEARING OFF THE PROP, SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT AROUND AND CAUSING RIGHT WING TO BREAK OFF, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO COLLAPSE, THE LEFT WING TO CRUMPLE. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE CO-PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER THAT LANDED IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT, "THE AIRCRAFT SPUN CLOCKWISE OFF THE RUNWAY AND ALSO ENDED UP ON THE GRASS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS MOVING ABOUT THE COCKPIT AS PEOPLE APPROACHED TO HELP."

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 NYC03LA195Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSomerville, NJThe pilot's delay in executing a go-around, which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence from a helicopter. A factor in the accident was the wake turbulence.Sep 5, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6183J · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19910905038429AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Somerville, NJLost oil pressure during private pilot checkride. Examiner took over on forced landing. Oil cooler oil line brokenSep 5, 1991 · Substantial damage