20040402004129A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Saranac Lake, NY · April 2, 2004

Date: April 2, 2004 · 19:25 local
Place: Saranac Lake, NY
Airport: Adirondack
Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4686J
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04FA100
Reported as: Piper PA28R180
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360B1E
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,215 total480 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N4686JRegistration cancelled Sep 16, 2013 · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-30587 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180 Engine modelLycoming I0360 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) N4686J departed jyo at approximately 1550 local and flew non-stop to slk on 04/02/2004. The aircraft was cleared for an ILS approach to rwy 23 at slk by bos center at approximately 1905 the pilot requested the local altimeter setting from slk UNICOM and stated that he was about 4 miles out. The weather at slk was 1 3/4 miles visibility with a 200 foot overcast in light snow, temperature 01 and dew point 00. The pilot had reported to ATC that he was picking up some ice while enroute at the cruise altitude (filed for 5,000'). The aircraft came into contact with several trees .8 mile from the end of rwy 23, then traveled about 150' before impact with the ground inverted at approximately 1925. The wreckage was found 700' west of the rwy centerline on a heading of 230 degrees. There was no indication of fire before or after the crash. The pilot and passenger were both fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N4686J DEPARTED JYO AT APPROXIMATELY 1550 LOCAL AND FLEW NON-STOP TO SLK ON 04/02/2004. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO RWY 23 AT SLK BY BOS CENTER AT APPROXIMATELY 1905 THE PILOT REQUESTED THE LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING FROM SLK UNICOM AND STATED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 4 MILES OUT. THE WEATHER AT SLK WAS 1 3/4 MILES VISIBILITY WITH A 200 FOOT OVERCAST IN LIGHT SNOW, TEMPERATURE 01 AND DEW POINT 00. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WAS PICKING UP SOME ICE WHILE ENROUTE AT THE CRUISE ALTITUDE (FILED FOR 5,000'). THE AIRCRAFT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH SEVERAL TREES .8 MILE FROM THE END OF RWY 23, THEN TRAVELED ABOUT 150' BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND INVERTED AT APPROXIMATELY 1925. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 700' WEST OF THE RWY CENTERLINE ON A HEADING OF 230 DEGREES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FIRE BEFORE OR AFTER THE CRASH. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE BOTH FATALLY INJURED.

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 NYC04FA100Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportHarrietstown, NYThe pilot's failure to follow instrument flight rules procedures resulting in a collision with a tree. Factors related to the accident were the dark night conditions, low visibility, and low cloud ceiling.Apr 3, 2004 · Substantial damage